Driver identification and data collection systems for use with mobile communication devices in vehicles

ABSTRACT

Systems, methods, and devices for managing predetermined functions on a mobile device within a moving vehicle, the mobile device having an operating system (OS) that includes an event API installed therein that is configured for two-way communication with an external control device, the control device being installed within the vehicle and further configured to communicate with a software application installed and running in memory resident on the mobile device. In response to initiation of a predetermined function on the mobile device, a notification message is transmitted by the event API to the control device. The control device then communicates with the software application to determine a desired action for the mobile device to take with respect to the predetermined function. The control device then instructs the mobile device on the action to take on the predetermined function by transmitting an action message to the event API.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation of copending U.S. applicationSer. No. 16/042,473, filed Jul. 23, 2018, which is a Continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/191,353, filed Jun. 23, 2016,entitled “Managing Functions on an iOS-Based Mobile Device Using ANCSNotifications,” which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/944,178, entitled “Preventing Access toFunctions on a Mobile Device in Response to an External OS-LevelCommand,” filed Nov. 17, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No.9,338,605, entitled “Driver Identification and Data Collection Systemsfor Use with Mobile Communication Devices in Vehicles,” issued May 10,2016, which claimed priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to: (i)U.S. Prov. Pat. Appl. No. 61/936,152, entitled “Managing Use of MobileCommunication Devices by Drivers in Vehicles,” filed Feb. 5, 2014; (ii)U.S. Prov. Pat. Appl. No. 61/892,406, entitled “Improved Systems,Methods, and Devices for Controlling, Monitoring, and Managing Use ofMobile Communication Devices in Vehicles and Other ControlledEnvironments or Settings,” filed Oct. 17, 2013; and (iii) U.S. Prov.Pat. Appl. No. 61/821,019, entitled “Systems, Methods, and Devices forControlling, Monitoring, and Managing Use of Mobile CommunicationDevices in Vehicles and Other Controlled Environments or Settings,”filed May 8, 2013. The disclosures set forth in the above-referencedapplications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT TECHNOLOGY

The systems, methods, and devices described herein relate generally tomonitoring, managing, controlling, and making effective use of mobilecommunication devices within a vehicle and, more particularly, toaccurately identifying vehicular drivers, collecting vehicular drivingdata, and interfacing with mobile communication device within thevehicle regarding the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT TECHNOLOGY

Use of mobile computing and communication devices (i.e., “mobiledevices”) in vehicles is a hotly debated topic. While use of mobiledevices provides convenience and can significantly enhance workeravailability, connectivity, and productivity, it has also been shownthat reckless use of mobile devices in moving vehicles has a detrimentaleffect and impact on the ability of a driver/operator (hereinafterreferred to, for convenience, as the “driver”) of the vehicle to focuson driving or otherwise operating the vehicle. In fact, some studieshave indicated that distracted driving may be even more dangerous thandriving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.

The number of vehicular accidents attributed to driver inattentivenessor distraction while talking, texting, surfing, browsing, or otherwiseinteracting with or using a mobile device within a vehicle, rather thanfocusing full attention on driving or operating the vehicle, continuesto increase. Numerous cities, counties, states, and even the Federalgovernment have imposed or are considering legal restrictions on use of(or that imposed increased sanctions, penalties, or punishments foraccidents that occur due to use of) such mobile devices by a driver of avehicle. As the functionality and capabilities of mobile devicescontinues to improve and expand, however, the potential distractionsposed by mobile devices to drivers of vehicles is only likely toincrease even more—leading to further accidents, higher risks todrivers, passengers, and any third parties near such vehicles, higherinsurance rates, and more litigation.

Although laws may be passed, company policies may be adopted, andinsurance policies may be tailored to provide lower insurance rates(deductibles and/or premiums) for drivers who do not use their mobiledevice while they are actively operating a vehicle, the options andability for physically or technologically controlling, managing,limiting, monitoring, and auditing use of mobile devices, particularlyin real time and based on other factors and variables (such as whetherthe vehicle is on and/or moving, how fast it is moving, what time of dayit is, what day of the week it is, where the vehicle is located, and thelike) has been limited, to date.

For these reasons, there remains a need in the industry for improvedsystems, methods, and devices that use computer-implemented,configurable policies to block, control, manage, limit, monitor, and/oraudit use of mobile devices in vehicles and, particularly, use of suchmobile devices by drivers of vehicles.

In addition to minimizing distracted driving, there remains asignificant need to be able to identify, accurately and in acost-effective and efficient manner, who is driving a vehicle at anygiven time, based on location of the driver's mobile device within thevehicle. Being able to detect one or more mobile devices in a vehicleprovides some valuable data in this regard, especially if there is onlyone mobile device in the vehicle when it is being driven and especiallyif that mobile device is designated as the primary mobile associatedwith the primary driver of that vehicle. If there is more than onemobile device in a vehicle, being able to determine which mobile deviceis in, near, or closest to the driver quadrant or space within thevehicle provides even more valuable data.

For example, accurately identifying the driver versus the passenger in avehicle helps to eliminate the inadvertent blocking or limiting offunctionality of the passenger's mobile device, which is generallyunnecessary to reduce distracted driving. In addition, accuratelyidentifying the driver of a vehicle, based on their mobile device,enables important data to be collected about the vehicle, about thedriver's driving patterns over time, and about the driver's activitiesand driving actions during a specific driving event. In addition, beingable to store and upload relevant driver and vehicle data to a driver'smobile device presents significant business opportunities and can beused for many different purposes.

Yet further, it will be appreciated by those of skill in the art thatAPPLE®-branded mobile communication devices often trail ANDROID®-brandedmobile communication devices in availability of third party applications(or apps) due to Apple Inc.'s tighter control of permissions associatedwith apps installed thereon. Thus, there is a need for being able toprovide mobile device control features and distracted drivingfunctionality, which are more easily implemented or only available on anANDROID®-branded mobile communication device, on an APPLE®-brandedmobile communication device.

The above needs and features, as well as additional aspects and businessapplications, are disclosed herein and will become readily apparent toone of ordinary skill in the art after reading and studying thefollowing summary of the present inventions, the detailed description ofpreferred embodiments, and the claims included hereinafter. The presentinventions meet one or more of the above-referenced needs as describedherein in greater detail.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT TECHNOLOGY

The present inventions described herein relate generally to systems,methods, and devices for monitoring, managing, controlling, and makingeffective use of mobile communication devices within a vehicle and, moreparticularly, to accurately identifying vehicular drivers, collectingvehicular status and driving data, and interfacing with one or moremobile communication devices within the vehicle regarding the same.Briefly described, aspects of the present invention include thefollowing.

In a first aspect of the present invention, a system for determining thelocation of a mobile device within a vehicle, includes (a) a controllerlocated within the vehicle and configured to transmit at least two audiosignals, a first audio signal directed generally into a driver spacewithin the vehicle and a second audio signal directed generally into apassenger space within the vehicle, and (b) software code stored inmemory of the mobile device and having instructions executable by theprocessor that performs the steps of: (i) detecting the at least twoaudio signals, (ii) sampling the at least two audio signals for apredetermined period of time; (iii) performing digital signal processingon the sampled at least two audio signals; and (iv) based on the resultsof the digital signal processing, determining whether the mobile devicewas located within the driver space of the vehicle during thepredetermined period of time.

In a feature, the controller is mounted within the vehicle in proximityto a central axis of the vehicle, the central axis extending generallybetween the driver space and the passenger space within the vehicle. Insome embodiments, the controller is mounted on the inside surface of thefront windshield of the vehicle. In other embodiments, the controller isbuilt into the vehicle.

In another feature, the controller includes a built-in speaker systemfor transmitting the at least two audio signals. In some embodiments,the built-in speaker system includes a first speaker configured totransmit the first audio signal generally into the driver space withinthe vehicle and a second speaker configured to transmit the second audiosignal generally into the passenger space within the vehicle.

In yet another feature, the controller is in electronic communicationwith an audio system of the vehicle that has at least two speakers.Preferably, the first audio signal is output through one of the speakerspositioned near the driver space within the vehicle and the second audiosignal is output through another speaker positioned near the passengerspace within the vehicle.

Preferably, each of the at least two audio signals are transmitted at afrequency above 19 kHz, which is above the audible level that can beheard by most humans. In other embodiments, the at least two audiosignals (or one or more tones that are included in the audio signalssome or all of the time) can be transmitted at a frequency that isaudible to humans.

In some embodiments, the at least two audio signals are transmittedsimultaneously. In other embodiments, the at least two audio signals aretransmitted repeatedly in sequence, with each transmission or broadcastlasting for a first predetermined duration. Preferably, there is aperiod of silence (or no broadcast of an audio signal) lasting a secondpredetermined duration between each audio signal transmission. The firstand second predetermined durations can be the same or different periodsof time.

In a feature, the first audio signal includes a first plurality oftones, each having its own frequency, which are all transmittedsimultaneously. Preferably, the second audio signal also includes itsown plurality of tones, each having its own frequency, which are alltransmitted simultaneously. Preferably, the frequencies used for thetones of the first audio signal are different from the frequencies usedfor the tones of the second audio signal.

In yet a further feature, the instructions executable by the processorperforms the additional steps of: filtering the sampled at least twoaudio signals and performing digital signal processing on the filteredat least two audio signals. In another feature, the instructionsexecutable by the processor performs the additional steps of:calculating a baseline sound level from the sampled at least two audiosignals, identifying each audio spike from the sampled at least twoaudio signals that exceeds the calculated baseline, applying Goetzelanalysis on each identified audio spike, and initially determiningwhether the mobile device is in the driver space or the passenger spacebased on the application of the Goeztel analysis. In a further feature,the step of detecting the at least two audio signals is performed by amicrophone of the mobile device within the vehicle. In another feature,the step of sampling the at least two audio signals is performed at asampling rate that is at least twice the maximum frequency of thehighest frequency of the first and second audio signals.

In another feature, a determination that the mobile device was locatedwithin the driver space of the vehicle during the predetermined periodof time indicates the user of the mobile device was the driver of thevehicle during the predetermined period of time. In another feature, adetermination that there is only one mobile device within the vehicle,regardless of whether the mobile device is in the driver or passengerspace of the vehicle, indicates that the user of the mobile device wasthe driver of the vehicle during the predetermined period of time

In another feature, even if a determination is made that the mobiledevice was not located within the driver space of the vehicle during thepredetermined period of time, the instructions executable by theprocessor performs the additional steps of determining whether themobile device was oriented in a potentially “circumventing” manner, suchthat the mobile device was still usable or viewable by the driver of thevehicle despite being in the passenger space of the vehicle.

In a further feature, distracted driving prevention software blocks,controls, manages, and/or limits use of the mobile device when themobile device is located in the driver space. Alternatively, distracteddriving prevention software blocks or limits use of the mobile deviceeven when the mobile device is located in the passenger space if themobile device is determined to be oriented in a potentially“circumventing” manner.

Preferably, such distracted driving prevention software uses default orcustomized rules-based policies to determine what functionality of themobile device is affected, when such functionality of the mobile deviceis affected, and how such functionality of the mobile device isaffected. In some embodiments, such distracted driving preventionsoftware causes the mobile device to be powered off, causes a blockingscreen to be displayed which prevents other applications or functions ofthe mobile device to be accessed, or causes the controller to send oneor more HID or similar signals back to the mobile device, which preventsunauthorized applications or functions of the mobile device to be usedby the driver of the vehicle while the vehicle is being operated.

In a further feature, data collection software on the mobile devicecaptures and collects relevant data about the vehicle and about thedriver of the vehicle whenever the vehicle is in operation. Such data iscollected and, preferably, time-stamped so that relevant data about thevehicle and about the driver of the vehicle can be matched to use of thevehicle over time. In a feature, such data may be uploaded to a systemserver for further processing, display, or use.

In another feature, software installed on the mobile device orassociated with the system server uses the time-stamped, relevant dataabout the vehicle and about the driver of the vehicle to reward drivingbehavior, to maintain driver logging electronic records, to provide orhelp implement usage based insurance (UBI) scoring or policies, tocapture valuable telemetric data, to detect accidents in real-time, toreconstruct use and actions associated with the vehicle during anaccident or commission of a crime, to improve insurance claimprocessing, and to prevent or minimize insurance fraud prevention.

In yet another feature, software installed on the mobile device orassociated with the system server uses the time-stamped, relevant dataabout the vehicle and about the driver of the vehicle to communicatewith the vehicle to make “smart pairing” technologies used by thevehicle more efficient and accurate.

In a second aspect of the present invention, a device for collecting andtransmitting operational data about a vehicle to a mobile device locatedwithin the vehicle includes (a) a housing mounted to the vehicle, and(b) a power supply contained within the housing and adapted to providepower to electronic components contained within the housing. Preferably,the electronic components include: (i) a microprocessor, (ii) memory inelectronic communication with the microprocessor and configured to storethe operational data, (iii) an accelerometer for detecting movement ofthe vehicle, the detected movement being converted by the microprocessorinto an acceleration value stored as one of the operational data in thememory, and (iv) a data transmission module, controlled by themicroprocessor and configured to retrieve the operational data from thememory and to transmit the retrieved operational data to the mobiledevice.

In a feature, the housing is mounted within the vehicle in proximity toa central axis of the vehicle, the central axis extending generallybetween a driver space and a front passenger space within the vehicle.In one embodiment, the housing is mounted on the inside surface of thefront windshield of the vehicle. In another embodiment, the housing ispermanently built or installed into the vehicle by the vehiclemanufacturer by an after-market vendor.

Preferably, the power supply includes a solar panel, which is theprimary source of energy used by the power supply. Optionally, the powersupply includes a battery as the primary or back-up energy used by thepower supply. Preferably, such battery is rechargeable. In anotheroption, the power supply can be connected to the battery of the vehicle.Such connection can be hard-wired to the vehicle battery or connectablethrough a lighter plug or socket. Such power can be provided to thedevice through a conventional power supply connector or through a USBport.

In another feature, the electronic components further include a GPSmodule for detecting geographic location and speed of the vehicle. Suchgeographic location data or values and such speed data or values arepreferably stored as operational data in the memory of the device.

Preferably, the data transmission module transmits or broadcasts theoperational data about the vehicle using classic Bluetooth protocol. Inone embodiment, the data transmission module makes a Bluetooth pairingwith the mobile device. In another embodiment, the data transmissionmodule broadcasts the operational data about the vehicle without makinga Bluetooth pairing with the mobile device. Preferably, the operationaldata about the vehicle is broadcast in at least one field of the devicename (e.g., “Friendly Name”) of the data transmission module. In anotherfeature, the operational data about the vehicle is broadcast in aplurality of device names associated with the data transmission module,wherein each of the plurality of device names includes at least onefield containing the operational data. In some embodiments, the devicename of the data transmission module is received by at least one othermobile device within the vehicle.

In another preferred embodiment, the data transmission module transmitsthe operational data about the vehicle using Bluetooth low energy (BTLE)protocol. Alternatively, the data transmission module transmits theoperational data about the vehicle using WiFi protocols.

In a third aspect of the present invention, a system for preventingaccess to a prohibited function on a mobile device when the mobiledevice is in a vehicle, the mobile device having an operating system(OS) installed thereon, comprises: a control device installed within thevehicle; a software application installed and running in memory residenton the mobile device; wherein, after the software applicationestablishes a connection with the control device, if a prohibitedfunction is active or attempting to become active on the mobile device,the software application causes the mobile device to transmit anotification signal to the control device; wherein, in response toreceipt of the notification signal from the mobile device, the controldevice transmits an OS-level command back to the mobile device; andwherein, in response to receipt of the OS-level command from the controldevice, the operating system of the mobile device prevents access to theprohibited function without any direct interference or interruption ofthe prohibited function by the software application installed on themobile device.

In a feature, the OS-level command is transmitted using a humaninterface device (HID) protocol. Preferably, the OS-level command isinterpreted by the operating system of the mobile device as one or morekey press signals from a remote keyboard. For example, the one or morekey press signals represent pressing of one or more home keys, powerkeys, or a combination of home and power keys. In one embodiment, inresponse to receipt of the one or more key press signals, the operatingsystem of the mobile device powers off the mobile device. In anotherembodiment, when the prohibited function is active or attempting tobecome active in a foreground window of the display of the mobiledevice, in response to receipt of the one or more key press signals, theoperating system of the mobile device closes or minimizes the foregroundwindow of the mobile device. In yet a further embodiment, in response toreceipt of the one or more key press signals, the operating system ofthe mobile device causes the mobile device to go to a locked screenstatus.

In another feature, the software application is a distracted drivingapplication configured to prevent a user of the mobile device fromaccessing prohibited functions on the mobile device when the user of themobile device is driving the vehicle.

In yet another feature, the control device and the mobile device areseparate and distinct devices.

Preferably, the software application establishes a connection with thecontrol device when the mobile device is in a powered-on state and whenthe mobile device is in the vehicle in which the control device isinstalled.

In a feature, the notification signal transmitted by the softwareapplication identifies what type of OS-level command the control deviceshould transmit back to the mobile device.

In another feature, the software application determines whether afunction on the mobile device that is active or attempting to becomeactive is prohibited. In some embodiments, the software applicationdetermines whether the function on the mobile device is prohibited basedon a rules-based policy associated with the mobile device.

In another feature, the notification signal is transmitted from themobile device to the control device using a wired connection, a WiFiwireless connection, or a Bluetooth wireless connection.

In yet a further feature, in response to receipt of the notificationsignal from the mobile device, the control device periodicallyre-transmits the OS-level command back to the mobile device for apredetermined period of time.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a system for preventingaccess to functions of a mobile device when the mobile device is in avehicle comprises: a control device installed within the vehicle, thecontrolled device configured to determine when the vehicle is movingabove a threshold speed; an operating system (OS) installed andoperating on the mobile device, the operating system enabling the mobiledevice to receive OS-level commands transmitted by the control deviceusing a human interface device (HID) protocol; wherein, after thecontrol device determines that the vehicle is moving above the thresholdspeed, the control device periodically transmits an OS-level command tothe mobile device using the HID protocol as long as the vehicle ismoving above the threshold speed; and wherein, in response to receipt ofthe OS-level command from the control device, the operating system ofthe mobile device prevents access to the functions on the mobile device.

In a feature, the OS-level command is interpreted by the operatingsystem of the mobile device as one or more key press signals from aremote keyboard. Preferably, the one or more key press signals representpressing of one or more home keys, power keys, or a combination of homeand power keys. In one embodiment, in response to receipt of the one ormore key press signals, the operating system of the mobile device powersoff the mobile device. In another embodiment, in response to receipt ofthe one or more key press signals, the operating system of the mobiledevice closes or minimizes a foreground window of the display of themobile device. In a further embodiment, in response to receipt of theone or more key press signals, the operating system of the mobile devicecauses the mobile device to go to a locked screen status.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, a system for managingpredetermined functions on a mobile device within a moving vehicle, themobile device having an operating system (OS) installed thereon, the OSincluding an event application programming interface (API) configuredfor two-way communication with an external electronic device, comprises:(a) a control device installed within the vehicle, the control deviceacting as the external electronic device and configured for two-waycommunication with the mobile device; (b) a software applicationinstalled and running in memory resident on the mobile device; (c)wherein, in response to initiation of one of the predetermined functionson the mobile device, the event API causes the mobile device to transmita notification message to the control device; (d) wherein, in responseto receipt of the notification message from the mobile device, thecontrol device transmits to the software application information aboutsaid one of the predetermined functions obtained from the notificationmessage; (e) wherein, in response to receipt of the information aboutsaid one of the predetermined functions obtained from the controldevice, the software application determines and transmits a desiredaction to be taken by the mobile device with respect to said one of thepredetermined functions; and (f) wherein, in response to receipt of thedesired action from the software application, the control devicetransmits to the event API an action message, the action message causingthe event API to take the desired action with respect to said one of thepredetermined functions, wherein the desired action occurs on the mobiledevice without any direct interference or interruption of said one ofthe predetermined functions by the software application installed on themobile device.

Preferably, the two-way communications between the external electronicdevice and the event API uses Bluetooth low energy (BTLE) protocols.

In a feature, the predetermined functions on the mobile device includeone or more of: a mobile call, a VoIP call, a video call, an SMS textmessage, an instant messaging message, an email message, a push-to-talkcommunication, taking of a photo or video, accessing a photo or video,accessing a mobile application, accessing the Internet, and receiving ordisplaying an application notification.

In another feature, in response to receipt of the notification messagefrom the mobile device, the control device requests additionalinformation regarding the predetermined function from the mobile device.Preferably, in response to receipt of the request for additionalinformation regarding the predetermined function, the event API causesthe mobile device to transmit one or more additional notificationmessages to the control device to provide the additional informationrequested.

In yet a further feature, initiation of one of the predeterminedfunctions is determined when one of the predetermined functions isactive or attempting to become active in a foreground window of adisplay screen of the mobile device.

In a feature, the software application determines the desired action tobe taken by the mobile device with respect to said one of thepredetermined functions based on a rules-based policy. Preferably, therules-based policy includes rules for one or more of the following:preventing outgoing calls from the mobile device, preventing incomingcalls from being received by the mobile device, causing an automatedmessage to be transmitted in response to an incoming call, incoming textmessage, or incoming email, preventing the mobile device from accessingphone functions, text functions, or email functions on the mobiledevice, disabling an interface of the mobile device, removingapplication notifications displayed on a display screen of the mobiledevice, disabling application notifications from being displayed on thedisplay screen of the mobile device, causing a pre-defined message todisplay on the interface of the mobile device, interfering with emailfunctions of the mobile device, interfering with texting functions ofthe mobile device, interfering with chat functions of the mobile device,interfering with push-to-talk functions of the mobile device, defining aPIN or password that must be entered into the mobile device to overridethe rules-based policy, preventing deletion or modification of therules-based policy, preventing deletion or modification of the softwareapplication, and identifying exceptions to the rules-based policy.

In another feature, in response to receipt of the notification messagefrom the mobile device, the control device further transmits to thesoftware application an indication of vehicle state data regarding thevehicle. Preferably, the vehicle state data includes one or more of thefollowing current or historical characteristics associated with thevehicle: speed, speed range, average speed, vehicle engine status,vehicle gear status, engine rpm, fuel efficiency, vehicle identificationnumber, miles driven over a defined period of time, idle time, brakingevents, acceleration events, vehicle component diagnostics, and enginediagnostics. In addition, the software application preferably determinesthe desired action to be taken by the mobile device with respect to saidone of the predetermined functions based on a rules-based policy,wherein the rules-based policy includes rules associated with said oneof the predetermined functions and with the vehicle state data.

In a further feature, the action message transmitted by the controldevice to the event API enables said one of the predetermined functionsto occur without interference. Alternatively, the action messagetransmitted by the control device to the event API enables said one ofthe predetermined functions to occur but with partial interference. Inanother alternative, the action message transmitted by the controldevice to the event API prevents or terminates said one of thepredetermined functions.

In another feature, the control device and the mobile device are pairedusing a Bluetooth protocol.

The present inventions also encompasses computer-readable medium havingcomputer-executable instructions for performing methods of the presentinvention, and computer networks and other systems that implement themethods of the present invention.

The above features as well as additional features and aspects of thepresent invention are disclosed herein and will become apparent from thefollowing description of preferred embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofillustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunctionwith the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating theembodiments, there is shown in the drawings example constructions of theembodiments; however, the embodiments are not limited to the specificmethods and instrumentalities disclosed. In addition, further featuresand benefits of the present technology will be apparent from a detaileddescription of preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction withthe following drawings, wherein similar elements are referred to withsimilar reference numbers, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a high level system view of one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a control device installedwithin a vehicle used with the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view illustrating the control device installed withinthe vehicle of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of primary components used in the control deviceillustrated in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the steps used by a mobile device forprocessing audio signals generated by the control device illustrated inFIGS. 1-4; and

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the steps used by the control device of FIGS.1-4 for detecting vehicle status and for transmitting vehicular statusdata in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present technologies, systems, products, articles ofmanufacture, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed and described ingreater detail hereinafter, it is to be understood that the presenttechnologies, systems, products, articles of manufacture, apparatuses,and methods are not limited to particular arrangements, specificcomponents, or particular implementations. It is also to be understoodthat the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describingparticular aspects and embodiments only and is not intended to belimiting.

As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms“a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearlydictates otherwise. Similarly, “optional” or “optionally” means that thesubsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, andthe description includes instances in which the event or circumstanceoccurs and instances where it does not.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word“comprise” and variations of the word, such as “comprising” and“comprises,” mean “including but not limited to,” and is not intended toexclude, for example, other components, integers, elements, features, orsteps. “Exemplary” means “an example of” and is not necessarily intendedto convey an indication of preferred or ideal embodiments. “Such as” isnot used in a restrictive sense, but for explanatory purposes only.

Disclosed herein are components that can be used to perform the hereindescribed technologies, systems, products, articles of manufacture,apparatuses, and methods. These and other components are disclosedherein, and it is understood that when combinations, subsets,interactions, groups, etc. of these components are disclosed that whilespecific reference to each various individual and collectivecombinations and permutation of these may not be explicitly disclosed,each is specifically contemplated and described herein, for alltechnologies, systems, products, articles of manufacture, apparatuses,and methods. This applies to all aspects of this specificationincluding, but not limited to, steps in disclosed methods. Thus, ifthere are a variety of additional steps that can be performed, it isunderstood that each of the additional steps can be performed with anyspecific embodiment or combination of embodiments of the disclosedtechnologies, systems, products, articles of manufacture, apparatuses,and methods.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, embodiments of thepresent technologies, systems, products, articles of manufacture,apparatuses, and methods may be described below with reference to blockdiagrams and flowchart illustrations of methods, systems, processes,steps, and apparatuses. It will be understood that each block of theblock diagrams and flow illustrations, respectively, supportcombinations of means for performing the specified functions and/orcombinations of steps for performing the specified functions.

The exemplary systems, methods, and devices described herein relategenerally to monitoring, managing, controlling, and making effective useof mobile communication devices within a vehicle and, more particularly,to accurately identifying vehicular drivers, collecting vehicular statusand driving data, and interfacing with one or more mobile communicationdevices within the vehicle regarding the same.

The present application incorporates herein by reference in theirentirety the following: (a) U.S. Pat. No. 8,527,013, entitled “Systems,Methods, and Devices for Policy-Based Control and Monitoring of Use ofMobile Devices by Vehicle Operators,” issued Sep. 3, 2013; (b) PCT Int'lPat. Appl. No. US2010/034151, filed May 8, 2010; and (c) eachapplication from which the above two applications claim prioritybenefit, including U.S. Prov. Pat. Appl. No. 61/176,640, entitled“System for Policy-Based Mobile Communications in Vehicles,” filed May8, 2009; U.S. Prov. Pat. Appl. No. 61/247,334, entitled “Improved Systemfor Policy-Based Mobile Communications in Vehicles,” filed Sep. 30,2009; and U.S. Prov. Pat. Appl. No. 61/301,902, entitled “FurtherImproved System for Policy-Based Mobile Communications in Vehicles,”filed Feb. 5, 2010.

As used herein, the term “vehicle” is intended to include automobiles,trucks, motorcycles, buses, planes, helicopters, blimps, balloons,gliders, boats, ferries, trains, trams, heavy equipment or machinery,and any type of apparatus, equipment, or other machine that is driven,operated, or controlled by a user (i.e., “driver”) and that issusceptible to accident or injury to self or others if the driver iscareless or not devoting full attention to operation of the vehicle.

As used herein, the term “mobile device” is intended to include andencompass, but not be limited to, any type of hand-held, portable,mountable, wearable, or similar computing or communication device thatis usable within a vehicle, such as but not limited to cell phones,mobile phones, smart phones, push-to-talk devices, personal digitalassistants (PDAs), text or email dedicated devices, general computers,laptops, electronic maps or other GPS location devices, vehicledashboard screens, electronic reading devices, multimedia equipment,data tablets, electronic eyewear, wearable sensory orsensory-enhancement equipment, and any other computing or communicationdevice that would or could be used by or accessible to the driver of avehicle while it is moving or otherwise in operation and that couldcontribute to driver inattentiveness or otherwise interfere with thedriver's ability to focus full attention on driving or operating thevehicle because of the talking, texting, surfing, browsing, viewing, orother interactive functionality of such device.

System Overview

As will be described hereinafter, the exemplary systems, methods, anddevices include a main controller or control device that can be mounted,installed, or built into a vehicle. Preferably, such control device isdesigned to perform at least two primary functions. One primary functionincludes the ability to transmit or broadcast at least two differentaudio signals that can be detected by and then used by one or moremobile devices within the vehicle to enable such mobile devices todetermine where they are located within the vehicle, such as in thedriver quadrant or in a passenger (or non-driver) quadrant or space inthe vehicle. In an alternative embodiment, the first primary function ofthe control device is to interface with the sound system of the vehicleitself to cause desired audio signals to be produced by the speakers ofthe sound system of the vehicle, which signals can then be detected andused by the one or more mobile devices to determine where the mobiledevices are located within the vehicle.

A second primary function of the control device is the ability totransmit or broadcast vehicular status data. Such data transmissions areintended to be detected and received by one or more mobile deviceswithin the vehicle and, in some embodiments, by the vehicle itself or bysoftware applications being run on or by the vehicle. Preferably, thevehicular status data includes information that can be determined ordetected by the control device itself, such asmotion/acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, speed of the vehicle,location of the vehicle, cabin temperature within the vehicle, sound orambient noise within the cabin of the vehicle at any point in time.Preferably, such vehicular status data can be transmitted or broadcastby the control device to any receiving devices or applications withinrange using classic Bluetooth (BT) communication protocols and/orBluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) communication protocols. Other datatransmission protocols, such as WiFi, could also be used in alternativeembodiments. Preferably, such vehicular status data is transmitted inreal time on a periodic basis whenever the vehicle is being operated andwhenever there is at least one receptive device or application locatedwithin the vehicle; however, in some embodiments or circumstances whenthere is not at least one receptive device or application located withinthe vehicle, such vehicular status data may be transmitted in bulk or innon-real time scenarios at a later time, when such receptive device orapplication does become available.

Additional or optional functions of the control device include storingvehicular status data in memory, communicating directly or indirectlywith the on-board computer of the vehicle to obtain additional vehicledata generally available from the on-board computer, exchanging data orengaging in bi-directional communications with one or more mobiledevices within the vehicle, exchanging data or engaging inbi-directional communications with the vehicle itself or with one ormore applications being run by or within the vehicle, and exchangingdata or engaging in bi-directional communications with at least onesystem server.

As will also be described hereinafter, the exemplary systems, methods,and devices include at least one application or software componentembedded or downloaded onto one or more mobile devices used in a vehiclethat are configured to handle and make use of the audio signalstransmitted or broadcast by the control device. Such application orsoftware component is preferably designed to process the at least two(or more) different audio signals that are transmitted by the controldevice directly or that the control device causes to be transmitted overthe vehicle sound system. Using audio detection, sampling, filtering,digital signal processing, and other audio processing techniques andanalysis, this first application enables each mobile device to determinethe approximate location of such mobile device within the vehicle (i.e.,whether or not such mobile device is located within the driver space orquadrant of the vehicle). In preferred embodiments, the firstapplication is also able to determine when such mobile device is notwithin the driver space or quadrant of the vehicle but is positioned ororiented in a manner that it can still be used, viewed, or accessed bythe driver in such a way that it could still be viewable by oraccessible to the driver, which can be important, for example, inpreventing the driver from trying to circumvent or avoid distracteddriving blocking software that permits usage of mobile devices bypassengers but not by drivers of vehicles.

The exemplary systems, methods, and devices also include at least asecond application or software component embedded or downloaded onto oneor more mobile devices used in a vehicle that are configured to receivethe vehicular status data transmitted or broadcast from the controldevice and then to respond accordingly—based primarily upon the specificpurpose of this second application or software component. As will beappreciated by those of skill in the art, such application or softwarecomponent may also be embedded or downloaded into a computer systemassociated with the vehicle itself, such as the on-board computer, amain console computer, a head-rest processor/controller, and the like.

For example, such applications include but are not limited to: (i)controlling or limiting use of the mobile device when the vehicle isbeing operated (e.g. to prevent or minimize distracted driving caused byuse of the mobile device within the vehicle)—such applications arepreferably managed by rules-based policies that may only prohibit use ofmobile devices by drivers of the vehicle or that may prohibit use of allmobile devices in the vehicle—whether used by the driver or a passenger,(ii) auditing, monitoring, and detecting use of the mobile device whenthe mobile device is in the vehicle or when the vehicle is beingoperated—such applications are similar to the distracted drivingprevention applications, but instead of preventing or restricting use ofthe mobile device, their primary purpose is merely to capture and recordsuch use, determine and log who is driving the vehicle at any given timebased on use of the mobile device in the driver quadrant, and the like,(iii) controlling or managing functions of the vehicle for theconvenience of the driver of the vehicle, such as implementing driverseat settings, mirror settings, steering wheel settings, radio settings,customized settings associated with on-vehicle applications (maps,display screen, user controls, and the like), and other driverpreferences, based on detection of one or more mobile devices in or nearthe driver quadrant or space in the vehicle and assuming that the personassociated with the detected one or more mobile devices is the currentdriver of the vehicle, and (iv) auditing or collecting data regardingdriving behavior and vehicle usage, which can then be used to rewarddriving behavior, to provide or help implement usage based insurance(UBI) scoring or policies, to capture valuable telemetric data, and tocapture other relevant information associated with the driver and withthe vehicle that may be useful for accident detection, accidentreconstruction, insurance claim handling, and insurance fraudprevention. Additionally, in many situations, the second application orsoftware component will also make use of the location informationdetermined by the first application or software component to determinewhether the one or more mobile devices are in the driver quadrant and,correspondingly, determining who the driver of the vehicle is at anygiven period of time.

For example, the second application or software component can beconfigured to block or limit specific functionality of the mobile deviceto reduce the risk of distracted driving, but only when the device is inthe driver space or quadrant. Such policy-based software applicationscan be used to block, control, manage, and/or limit use of thefunctionality of such mobile devices. Advantageously, such policy-basedsoftware applications may be adapted to use data provided by or obtainedfrom the control device, from the vehicle's on board computer or similarvehicle components or systems, alone or in conjunction with otheravailable external data or information (such as GPS location data, timeof day, day of week, type of activity or communication attempted on themobile device, and the like) more effectively to block, control, manage,and/or limit use of the functionality of such mobile devices.

In another example, the second application or software component can beused advantageously to monitor, audit, and record use of one or moremobile devices in a vehicle, even if actual functionality of the mobiledevice is not blocked, controlled, limited, or prevented by the systemor policy. In some embodiments, all functions on one mobile device(e.g., cell phone) of the driver may be blocked entirely, while specificfunctions of another mobile device (e.g., a “smart” watch or aGoogle-glass-type of wearable items), may be allowed to the driver, forexample, such as a vibration notification on the “smart watch” when thevehicle exceeds the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle istravelling or displaying of a map on a Google-glass-type of wearableitems.

In a further example, the second application or software component canbe used to capture relevant data and information about the vehicle whena mobile device is in or in close proximity to the vehicle—even if useof the mobile device is not blocked, controlled, limited, or preventedby the system or policy. Such systems, methods, and devices disclosedherein are also configurable to detect, monitor, and report on vehicleusage patterns, including period of excessive speeding or idle time.

In another example, the first and second applications or softwarecomponents can be used, in combination, to determine which one or moremobile devices are in the driver quadrant of the vehicle, which can thenbe used to determine who is likely driving the vehicle—based on theassumption that the owner of the one or more mobile devices in or nearthe driver quadrant of the vehicle (or the owner of the only mobiledevice(s) in the vehicle at that time) is most likely to be the currentdriver of the vehicle at that time, which could then be used for usagebased insurance (UBI) scoring, rewards programs, electronic driverlogging, confirmation of who is driving during an accident or commissionof a crime, and the like.

Being able to determine which one or more mobile devices are in thedriver space of a vehicle could also be used advantageously by anotherexample of the second application or software component, which can beused to make “smart pairing” technologies more efficient and accurate.Such software can reside on the mobile devices or in applications beingrun by the vehicle itself. For example, it is becoming more and morecommon for vehicles to be configured to adapt automatically to theperson who is driving. Many aspects of the driving experience (such aswhich phone is currently connected to hands free, which address book isshared, which music is being streamed, seat adjustments, mirroradjustment, steering wheel settings, which applications run and areavailable on the vehicle's console display, and the settings of suchapplications running on the vehicle's console display, etc.) could beconfigured within the vehicle if it could be accurately determined whois driving the vehicle.

Currently, determining which mobile device is connected via Bluetooth tothe driver's head unit or headrest is one rudimentary method used inmaking vehicle settings for the driver. Unfortunately, relying upon suchBluetooth connection is inexact and, at times, incorrect. For example,if two family members enter a vehicle today, only one of those mobiledevices associated with the family members will actually connect to thehead unit for music streaming, address book synching, hands freecalling, and the like. Typically, the mobile device that has beenpreviously designated as the “primary” device associated with thevehicle will prevail—even if such mobile device is not being carried bythe current driver of the vehicle. There is, thus, an on-going need tobe able to identify accurately who is driving the vehicle based on whichone or more mobile devices are being carried by or are positioned nearthe current driver of the vehicle.

Using such technology, the driver's head unit or headrest can beconfigured to drop the connection to the “primary” mobile deviceassociated with the vehicle when it has been determined that the primarymobile device is not located within the driver's space, but another oneor more mobiles devices are. This would free up the connection for themobile device(s) (and the customized vehicle settings) of the user whois actually sitting in the driver's seat—based on the actual mobiledevice(s) detected within the driver space. Head unit technology cantake advantage of this smart pairing association without blindly relyingupon which mobile device has been identified by the owner of the vehicleas the “primary” device associated with the vehicle. Thus, there is aneed to be able to designate dynamically a specific mobile device thatis in the driver space as the currently “active” or “primary” device andassociate the vehicle settings to the user associated with thatdetected, specific mobile device.

Additional features, as described herein or as will be readily apparentto one of ordinary skill in the art, expand upon the capabilities of thecore systems, methods, and devices described herein and are intended toimprove the safe operation, manageability, portability, enforcement, andsupport of use of mobile devices by drivers of vehicles. Additionalaspects and business applications, are disclosed herein and will alsobecome readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art afterreading and studying the summary of the present inventions, thisdetailed description of preferred embodiments, and the claims includedhereinafter.

Turning now to FIG. 1, a high level overview of one exemplary system 100of the present invention is illustrated. Preferably, the system 100includes a main controller or control device 75 installed or mounted ina vehicle 110 (such vehicle being shown merely in the abstract usinghashed lines). The control device 75 is intended to interact, as will bedescribed in greater detail hereinafter, with at least one mobile device150 located within the vehicle 110. As will also be described in greaterdetail hereinafter, the control device 75 and/or the at least one mobiledevice 150 are configured to communicate uni-directionally orbi-directionally with at least one system server 180 that is typicallyaccessed over the cloud or through a cellular network communication. Aswill also be appreciated, the control device 75 and/or the one or moremobile devices 150 are configured to communicate uni-directionally orbi-directionally with a computer system 160 installed within the vehicleitself. Such computer system 160 associated with the vehicle itselfwould include, for example, the vehicle's on-board computer, a mainconsole computer, a head-rest processor/controller, and the like.

In practice, the exemplary system 100 is useful for a wide variety ofapplications 190, such as (i) detecting where one or more mobile devicesare located within the vehicle (e.g. determining whether the mobiledevice is in the driver's quadrant or space of the vehicle), (ii)controlling or limiting use of the one or more mobile devices when thevehicle is being operated (e.g. to prevent or minimize distracteddriving caused by use of the mobile device within the vehicle), (iii)auditing, monitoring, and detecting use of the mobile device when themobile device is in the vehicle or when the vehicle is being operated,(iv) controlling or managing functions of the vehicle, such as driverseat settings and driver preferences, based on detection of the mobiledevice in or near the driver's quadrant or space in the vehicle, and (v)auditing or collecting data regarding driving behavior and vehicleusage, which can then be used to reward driving behavior, to provide orhelp implement usage based insurance (UBI) scoring or policies, and tocapture valuable telemetric data.

More specifically, the control device 75 is designed to perform at leasttwo primary functions. First, in the preferred embodiment, the controldevice 75 is configured to transmit at least two different audio signalsthat can be detected and then used by one or more mobile devices todetermine where such mobile devices are located within the vehicle. Inan alternative embodiment, the control device 75 is configured tointerface with the sound system of the vehicle itself to cause desiredaudio signals to be produced by one or more speakers of the sound systemof the vehicle, which audio signals can then be detected and used by theone or more mobile devices to determine where such mobile devices arelocated within the vehicle. Second, the control device 75 is configuredto transmit or broadcast vehicular status data. Such transmissions orbroadcasts can be received and processed by mobile devices within thevehicle or by software system or applications being run by the vehicleitself. Preferably, the vehicular status data includes information thatcan be determined or detected by the control device itself, such asmotion of the vehicle, speed of the vehicle, location of the vehicle,cabin temperature within the vehicle, sound or ambient noise within thecabin of the vehicle at any point in time.

Preferably, such vehicular status data can be transmitted or broadcastby the control device 75 using classic Bluetooth (BT) communicationprotocols or using Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) communication protocols.Specific details about such communication protocols are described ingreater detail hereinafter. Preferably, such vehicular status data istransmitted in real time on a periodic basis; however, in someembodiments or circumstances, such vehicular status data may betransmitted in bulk or in non-real time scenarios.

Additional or optional functions of the control device 75 includestoring vehicular status data in memory, communicating directly orindirectly with the on-board computer of the vehicle to obtainadditional vehicle data, exchanging data or engaging in bi-directionalcommunication with one or more mobile devices 150, and exchanging dataor engaging in bi-directional communication with the at least one systemserver 180.

Preferably, the mobile device 150 makes use of two embedded ordownloaded applications or software components, each designed to handleand make use of the data or communications made by the control device75. First, one application or software component is preferably designedto process the two or more different audio signals that are transmittedby the control device 75 directly or that the control device causes tobe transmitted over the vehicle sound system. Using audio detection,filtering, and digital processing techniques, this first application isable to determine the approximate location of each such mobile devicewithin the vehicle (i.e., whether or not such mobile device is locatedwithin the driver space or quadrant of the vehicle). In preferredembodiments, the first application is also able to determine when themobile device is not within the driver space or quadrant of the vehicle,but is positioned or oriented in a manner that it can still be used,viewed, or accessed by the driver in such a way that it could stilldistract the driver while driving. The second application or softwarecomponent, whether being run on a mobile device or by the vehicleitself, is preferably designed to receive the vehicular status data fromthe control device 75 and then respond accordingly—based primarily uponthe specific one or more applications 190 for which the system isintended to be used. Additionally, in many situations, the secondapplication or software component will also make use of the mobiledevice location information (and driver identification) determined bythe first application or software component. For example, the secondapplication or software component can be configured to block or limitspecific functionality of the mobile device to reduce the risk ofdistracted driving, but only when the device is in the driver space orquadrant.

Exemplary Control Device

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view 200, from within a vehicle 110, inwhich an exemplary control device 75 is mounted conveniently on theinterior surface of the windshield 210 of the vehicle 110, near thecentral rear view mirror 220 of the vehicle 110. This mounting locationon the interior windshield 210, near the central rear view mirror 220,is convenient since it does not obstruct the visibility of the driver ofthe vehicle sitting in the driver's seat 230, since it can be installedin an after-market environment, and since it is strategically locatedalong or near the central axis 250 of the vehicle 110 along an invisibledividing line between the driver's seat 230 and the front passenger'sseat 240. Preferably, the control device 75 includes a first speaker 260that is configured to transmit a first audio signal 265 aimed generallytoward the driver space or quadrant of the vehicle. Preferably, thecontrol device 75 includes a second speaker 270 that is configured totransmit a second audio signal 275 aimed generally toward the passengerspace or quadrant of the vehicle.

Although the mounting location for the control device 75 shown in FIG. 2is preferred, it will be appreciated by those of skill in the art thatthe control device 75 can be placed, mounted, or installed in differentlocations within the vehicle compartment. For example, the controldevice 75 can be placed anywhere along the central axis 250, such aslower on the windshield 210, on the dashboard 280, on the center consolearea 290, along the ceiling console area (not shown), or even on theback windshield (not shown), or the rear dashboard surface (also notshown). The exact location is not critical as long as one audio signalis aimed toward the driver space and the other audio signal is aimedtoward the passenger space. As will be understood by those of skill inthe art, the first application or software component installed on orused by the mobile device can be configured to work with control devices75 positioned in front of or behind the driver's seat 230, as long asthe configuration specifies which speaker 260, 270 and correspondinglywhich audio signal 265, 275 is aimed toward the driver space and whichis aimed toward the passenger space. Likewise, the first application orsoftware component can also be configured to work with the controldevice 75 that are used in countries or in vehicles in which thedriver's seat and passenger's seat are on opposite sides of the vehicle(as compared to that shown in FIG. 2). Further, it will also beappreciated by those of skill in the art that the control device 75 doesnot have to be placed directly on the central axis 250 as long as theconfiguration of the first application or software component specifieswhich speaker 260, 270 and correspondingly which audio signal 265, 275is aimed toward the driver space and which is aimed toward the passengerspace.

In some embodiment, the control device 75 can make use of its on-boardaccelerometer to determine its orientation relative to gravity. Thus,the control device 75 can determine whether it has ben installedcorrectly or whether it has been installed upside down, in which casethe standard speaker configuration (one pointing toward the driver spaceand one pointing toward the passenger) would be reversed.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but illustrates a top view 300 of aconventional vehicle 110 in which the exemplary control device 75 ismounted conveniently on the interior surface of the windshield 210 ofthe vehicle 110, near the central rear view mirror 220 of the vehicle110. This mounting location on the interior windshield 210, near thecentral rear view mirror 220, is convenient since it does not obstructthe visibility of the driver of the vehicle sitting in the driver's seat230, since it can be installed in an after-market environment, and sinceit is strategically located along or near the central axis 250 of thevehicle 110 along an invisible dividing line between the driver's seat230 and the front passenger's seat 240. Preferably, the control device75 includes a first speaker 260 that is configured to transmit a firstaudio signal 265 aimed generally toward the driver's space or quadrantof the vehicle. Preferably, the control device 75 includes a secondspeaker 270 that is configured to transmit a second audio signal 275aimed generally toward the passenger's space or quadrant of the vehicle.

As with the exemplary system of FIG. 2, although the mounting locationfor the control device 75 shown in FIG. 3 is preferred, it will beappreciated by those of skill in the art that the control device 75 canbe placed in different locations within the vehicle cabin. For example,the control device 75 can be placed anywhere along or near the centralaxis 250, such as lower on the windshield 210, on the dashboard, on thecenter console area 290, along the ceiling console area (not shown), oreven on the back windshield 215, or the rear dashboard surface 225. Theexact location is not critical as long as one audio signal is aimedtoward the driver space and the other audio signal is aimed toward thepassenger space.

FIG. 4 is a schematic that illustrates, at a high level, the primarycomponents of the control device 75 used in the exemplary embodiments ofthe system described in association with FIGS. 1-3. The control device75 preferably includes a main microprocessor 410, a power supply 440,and an audio processor 470. The main processor 410 receives power fromthe power supply 440 and controls the audio processor 470. Preferably,the control device 75 also includes an accelerometer 415, a GPScomponent 425, a Bluetooth (BT) module 435, and memory 420. The powersupply 440 preferably includes a primary solar power component 445 and arechargeable battery 455. Optionally, the power supply 440 also includesa USB power supply input to enable the control device 75 to connect tothe power supply of the vehicle 110 in conventional manner. The audiomicroprocessor 470 preferably controls a left amplifier and filter 475and left speaker 485 and a right amplifier and filter 480 and rightspeaker 490. In some embodiments, the control device 75 also includes abuilt-in microphone 430. As will be appreciated by those of skill in theart, the control device is able to detect ambient light levels based onthe level of sunlight detected by the solar power component.Additionally, although not shown, the control device may also include atemperature sensor, which can detect and determine the ambienttemperature level within the cabin of the vehicle, which may be of valuein some end use applications.

Installing the control device 75 on the windshield of the vehicle allowssolar power to be used as the primary power supply, with battery usedfor back-up purposes or when there is insufficient sunlight. This hasthe advantage of not requiring any wires or plugs to be connected duringinitial installation. It also allows more freedom in placement of thecontrol device 75 within the vehicle 110. Power can be conserved bydetecting long periods of time without any movement, as measured by theaccelerometer 415 or other motion sensor, and then going into a lowpower (or “sleep”) mode. Similarly, the control device 75 is preferablyconfigured to power up (or “awaken”) upon movement, again, as measuredby the accelerometer 415 or other motion sensor. When the control device75 is in regular power mode, the GPS 425 can be used for obtaining moreaccurate motion, speed, and position data. In some embodiments, it isstill useful to have a USB power supply input on the control device 75to be able to connect the control device 75 to the vehicle's powersupply for occasions in which there is insufficient sunlight or in casethe battery does not have sufficient charge to power the control device.

Having an independent and self contained control device 75 that candetect movement, at a minimum, and that has its own GPS trackingcapability, which is not dependent upon data that must be obtained fromthe vehicle 110 or from the vehicle's on-board computer, offers manyadvantages. For example, the built-in accelerometer 415 can be used todetermine when the vehicle, in which the control device is mounted, ismoving. Because the control device 75 is physically connected to thevehicle, it would be assumed that any acceleration is likely caused bythe vehicle in motion. Once the accelerometer 415 detects movement, thevehicle status (the fact that the vehicle is moving, the degree ofacceleration, or the actual velocity—if GPS data is available) can betransmitted to any mobile devices within the vehicle using any of thedata transmission protocols described herein, including Bluetooth, BTLE,WIFI, or audio. Similarly, rapid deceleration, sharp braking, or vehicleveering movements can also be detected by the accelerometer 415 and thentransmitted. In preferred embodiments, the Bluetooth module 435transmits the vehicle status data using classic Bluetooth and/or BTLEprotocols.

From a practical standpoint, it is possible to use non-removableindustrial, double-sided tape for mounting the control device to awindshield to prevent tampering, or to use tamper tape to detecttampering of the control device while still allowing eventual removal,when desired and authorized. As stated previously, the control devicepreferably is placed near or along the center axis of the vehicle. Thiscontrol device preferably has one speaker pointing towards the driverquadrant and a second speaker pointing towards the passenger quadrant.Optionally, a third speaker can be placed pointing towards the back ofthe vehicle for better accuracy and filtering of back seat passengers.This control device could transmit or broadcast audio signals utilizingany one or combination of methods for mobile device location andcorresponding driver identification, as will be described in greaterdetail hereinafter.

Advantageously, by being solar-powered, the control device 75 can beused for far more than distracted driving applications. For example,since the system can be used to identify drivers as compared topassengers, it is possible to automatically log drivers in and out ofvehicles for electronic log books or hours of service type applications.The system can also be used for low cost UBI (usage based insurance)applications. Because the control device 75 can be installed by simplysticking, mounting, or otherwise attaching it to the vehicle windshield,consumers or fleet operators can easily install the device withoutneeding any special equipment or expensive professional installs. Thisease of installation and ability to “self power,” provides a hugeadvantage in UBI, traditional telematics, insurance, and other driver orvehicle-usage applications.

The accelerometer 415 of the control device 75 is useful for detectingmotion, braking, veering/swerving, and acceleration events associatedwith the vehicle. The GPS module 425 is useful for recording drivingspeed, collecting mileage information, and tracking vehicle location atany point in time during operation of the vehicle. The Bluetooth module435 enables the system to communicate vehicular status data, ascaptured, obtained, or made available from the accelerometer and GPSmodule, to one or more mobile devices within the vehicle and/or to oneor more applications being run by the vehicle. The Bluetooth module 435could also be used to collect information from nearby sensor devices.For example, an OBDII device installed within the vehicle, as describedin US Pat. No. 8,527,013, can also have a Bluetooth module, which cancommunicate vehicle diagnostic and other detailed information obtainablefrom the vehicle's on-board computer, to the control device 75. Acellular component can also be added to the control device 75 to allowit to easily communicate data directly back to the at least one systemserver 180 using convention cellular communications. This allows thesolar-powered control device 75 to have a function similar to a centralhub within the vehicle for gathering information.

In one embodiment, rather than sending data directly from the controldevice 75 to a system server 180, such data can first be transmitted toone or more mobile devices within the vehicle, which can then uploadsuch data to the system server 180. Finally, in some embodiments,vehicular status data may be provided separately to mobile deviceswithin the vehicle both from the control device 75 as well as from anyother data collection and communication devices within the vehicle (e.g.OBDII, JBUS, etc.). These arrangements provide a dynamic vehicle anddata collection system that reduces cost while maintaining 24×7connectivity.

Locating Mobile Devices in Vehicles Using Control Device

As stated previously, the control device 75 is designed to perform atleast two primary functions. The first primary function is to transmitone or more signals that can be detected and then used by the mobiledevice to determine where the mobile device is located within thevehicle. There are a variety of ways to determine if a mobile device isin the driver quadrant (or side, for vehicles with no backseat) of avehicle. One preferred method described herein is to use audio signals.Preferably, such audio signals are above 19 kHz, to prevent normalhumans from being able to hear the tones, while still being in the rangeof typical audio output speakers and detectible by microphones ontypical mobile devices. However, audible tones could also be utilized.

In a preferred embodiment, a first audio signal is played out of aspeaker on the control device 75 and directed toward the driver space. Asecond audio signal is played out of a speaker on the control device 75and directed toward the passenger space. Preferably, the first audiosignal is a set of specific audio frequencies (1 or more) and the secondaudio signal is another set of specific audio frequencies (1 or more).Preferably, the frequencies used by the first and second audio signalsare different from each other.

For example, in one implementation, the first audio signal includesthree separate audio frequencies (e.g., 19100 hz, 19250 hz, and 19500hz) played for a specific period of time, such as 50 ms. After 50 ms ofplaying, all sound playing stops for another predetermined period oftime, such 200 ms. After 200 ms of silence, the second audio signalincludes three different audio frequencies (e.g., 19200 hz, 19300 hz,and 19450 hz) played for another specific period of time, such as 50 ms.After 50 ms of playing, the system again pauses another predeterminedperiod of time, such 200 ms, with silence before starting over bytransmitting the first audio signal again. The frequencies, duration ofplaying or transmission, and duration of pause times are all exemplaryand, as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, could beconfigured using any number of combinations.

This method has several benefits in practice. For example, by spacingthe playback out of each speaker, it is possible to reduce the potentialfor frequencies to interfere with one another. Also, the periods ofsilence allow any reverberations introduced within the vehicle cabin todampen. Another benefit provided by this embodiment is the ability todetect relative distances. Because the play back timings are known orpredetermined, it can be determined when to expect the frequencies toarrive at a mobile device based on its location within the vehicle. Thisdeviation in the timings enables the system to identify accurately thequadrant of the vehicle within which the mobile device is located. Thetime from the beginning of the left audio to the beginning of the rightaudio, and vice-versa, is equal and fixed with a high degree ofaccuracy. Based on the speed of sound, the system can detectleft-to-right versus right-to-left start times as being slightlydifferent, depending on the position of the microphone of the mobiledevice relative to the speakers.

In another embodiment and as stated previously, the control device 75can be integrated with the sound system of the vehicle. In such aconfiguration, the first and second audio signals can be played out ofspeakers built into the vehicle. In such embodiment, the first audiosignal would be output through the speaker (or speakers) closest to thedriver and the second audio signal would be output through the speaker(or speakers) closest to the passenger. Preferably, the control device75 would control the audio outputs.

In yet a further embodiment, it is possible to broadcast first andsecond audio signals simultaneously. Such signals could either bebroadcast from speakers on the control device 75 or by speakers of thevehicle under control of the control device 75. For example, the speakeraimed toward the driver or closest to the driver may broadcast a shortduration tone at a first frequency, such as 19,100 Hz, while the speakeraimed toward the passenger or closest to the passenger may broadcast ashort duration tone at a different frequency, such as 19,200 Hz. Thelength of the tones are predetermined. Preferably, the tones could beshort, such as ten (10) milliseconds (ms), or longer, such as one (1)second.

As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, any tone durationcould realistically be used; the overall concept remains the same.Since, in this particular embodiment, the two tones are broadcastsimultaneously, the frequency tone received first by a particular mobiledevice can aid in determining its location. For example, if the lefttone reaches the mobile device first, this would indicate the mobiledevice is closer to the left side of the vehicle than right—which incertain countries would indicate that the mobile device is in the driverquadrant rather than the passenger quadrant. By utilizing more speakersand frequencies, exact quadrants could be determined. For instance,multiple control devices (one at the front of the vehicle and one at theback of the vehicle) could be used to provide four separate speakers,each having a dedicated audio frequency. Alternatively, each of the fourspeakers of the vehicle could be used in similar fashion. For example,the front left speaker (or speaker closest to the driver or aimed at thedriver quadrant) could broadcast a tone at 19,100 Hz, the front rightspeaker at 19,200 Hz, back left speaker at 19,300 Hz, and back rightspeaker at 19,400 Hz. From these four different frequency audio signal,one could determine the location of the mobile device by comparing theorder in which the frequencies are received by the mobile device(s). Forexample, if the first two frequencies received are from the front leftspeaker followed by the back left speaker, the mobile device is likelylocated in the driver seat.

The position is determined by comparing the relative start time of thedifferent frequency tones, as observed by the microphone of each mobiledevice. Thus, each mobile device will observe the audio for eachfrequency to start frequently, up to multiple times per second. For thisto work properly, the sample rate should be at least twice the maximumfrequency emitted by any of the speakers, preferably higher. The exactstart time of the frequency would preferably be determined using knowndigital signal processing (DSP) techniques.

One such technique is to perform a Fourier transform on a sub-window ofthe recorded audio. In this case, one would look for a spike at each ofthe frequencies emitted by the speakers. The time at which eachfrequency is marked as “started” would be the time at which the value ofthe Fourier transform for that frequency and window position exceeds agiven threshold. That threshold may be fixed, or may be adaptive.Additionally, the threshold may be different for different speakers.This is especially helpful to overcome the frequency response of thespeakers and the microphone of the mobile device, especially at highfrequencies.

Preferably, each speaker will emit its tone for a fixed period, followedby a fixed period of silence. This allows each mobile device to takemultiple samples. This procedure can be used to help each mobile devicedetermine the desired information in spite of a noisy environment orbeing near a middle point between two speakers. The processing of thisinformation may be processor-intensive. Depending on the speed of theCPU of the mobile device(s) and its data connection, it may make senseto process the audio locally, or upload it to a server for processing.In the latter case, the audio may be sent raw, or may be preprocessed toreduce size.

In yet another embodiment, the mobile device and the control device canbe programmed to perform a set of pings. Once the mobile device detectsthe control device in the vehicle for which it is allowed tocommunicate, the mobile device can be configured to emit a shortduration high frequency tone. The control device in the vehicle would beconfigured to detect this high frequency tone and, in response, emit itsown short duration tone. The mobile device would then compare the timefrom which it emitted its tone until the response tone from the controldevice was detected.

In one implementation, the mobile device would accomplish this bystarting to record audio before producing its tone. It would then recordfor a set amount of time, long enough for the response tone to have comeback. The mobile device would then use this audio capture to determine,using one or more DSP techniques, the difference in time between thestart of its own tone and the start of the responding tone. Preferably,the mobile device's tone and the responding tone would be sufficientlydifferent in frequency to be able to be clearly separated using DSPtechniques. Using this information, the processing software on themobile device would be capable of calculating the distance betweenmobile device and the system control device. Based on the distance, itwould be possible to determine whether the mobile device is in thedrivers quadrant, passenger quadrant, or in the back seat. For thismethod to operate properly, the responding tone generated by the controldevice would have to be reliably produced at a fixed time interval afterthe control device first detects the tone produced by the mobile device.Processing the audio capture can be performed locally on the phone, orremotely in the cloud. This method could further be enhanced by havingmultiple control devices located within the vehicle to help pinpoint thequadrant within which the mobile device is located with better accuracy.

In a slight variation of the above embodiment, it is not necessary todetermine precise distances between the mobile device and the controldevice or to determine conclusively within which quadrant the mobiledevice is located. For example, just determining which mobile is closestto the control device may be enough information to determine what actionto take, such as which mobile device should be blocked, scored, orlogged. In this variation, the response time from emitting the tone fromthe mobile device until receiving the response tone from the controldevice would be shared with other mobile devices located within thevehicle. If the control device is placed nearest to the driver ordriver's quadrant of the vehicle, then the mobile device with theshortest tone transmission and response time would be considered in thedriver quadrant. Conversely, the mobile device with the longest tonetransmission and response time would be considered in the driverquadrant depending on alternative placements (such as a locationfurthest away from the driver's quadrant) of the control device. Thetone transmission and response times can be shared with the other mobiledevices in the vehicle in many different ways. One way would be byuploading the information to the cloud and allowing an applicationrunning on a remote web server to determine the shortest (or longest)distance. Another way would be to share the information locally throughstandard Bluetooth, BTLE, or by changing a discoverable field on themobile device, such as Friendly Name, to represent the information. Forthese methods to operate properly, the responding tone would have to bereliably produced at a fixed interval after the responding systemcontrol unit first detects one or more tones from mobile devices withinthe vehicle. Processing of the data could be performed locally on one ormore mobile devices, or remotely in the cloud.

In yet a further embodiment, the amplitude of the various frequenciesmay be enough to determine mobile device location within the vehicle.One or more control devices could be installed or prebuilt into avehicle, which simultaneously sends tones out of two or more speakers.All of the frequencies would be broadcast with the same relative power.The frequency, which is the loudest, would indicate the speaker that isclosest to that respective mobile device. This would be accomplished onthe mobile device by recording the audio and using one or more DSPtechniques, such as Fourier transform, to determine amplitude. Theaverage amplitude at the desired frequencies would be calculated acrossthe recorded sample.

Again, the actual processing of the recorded audio could be performedlocally or in the cloud. Utilizing this procedure, the frequencies couldbe broadcast in short duration bursts or played continuously into thecabin of the vehicle. The exact quadrant could again be determined byutilizing multiple speakers. However, this procedure could work usingjust two speakers or four speakers—in a manner as described above—witheach speaker broadcasting at its predetermined and pre-set frequency.Each (or all) speakers could be continuously playing their tone oralternating each tone with periods of silence. The mobile devices withinthe vehicle can then compare the relative amplitude of each of thespeakers to determine approximate location within the vehicle. It shouldbe noted that the tone does not have to be played continuously, it canbe played in short duration bursts, continuously, long bursts, or anycombination thereof. It should also be noted that the use of signals outof each speaker in this embodiment could be any combination offrequency—both audible and in-audible tones could be used. To accountfor various frequency responses of the speakers and/or receiving mobiledevices, the power at which each speaker is playing may be varied toaccount for the frequency response. The particular frequencies chosenwill depend on several factors. For example, high noise and/or lowfidelity environments will benefit from wider separation between thefrequencies of the different speakers. In addition, wider separation ofthe frequencies can reduce the calculation load of the DSP performed,which may be beneficial for some handsets or mobile devices.

In another embodiment or as a variation of any of the above embodiments,one or more “presence” frequency tone may also be emitted from thespeakers. These frequencies tone(s) would be emitted in equal power byall speakers. Preferably, such “presence” frequency tone(s) would be ata different frequency from any of the frequencies used for positioningdeterminations, as described above. These presence frequency tone(s)would enable the mobile device to determine that it is inside thevehicle or other designated/protected area. When the presence tone isused in the current system, the handset or other mobile device mustfirst detect the presence frequency tone before it will interpret anyother frequency tone for the purpose of determining its location withinthe vehicle. This may be especially useful in high noise and/or lowfidelity environments. These “presence” signals could be utilized toimprove the reliability of all of the above driver detection embodimentsdiscussed above or, alternatively, such presence frequencies could beused as a standalone system.

For the various audio implementations discussed above, it is recommendedthat the frequencies used by the system not be harmonics of one another,as this could cause potential detection issues. Also, another aspect ofoperation is detecting the signal emitted from the speakers amid theambient noise of the environment within the vehicle. Various procedurescan be used to make this determination. For example, the powers at allmeasured frequencies, except the ones expected, can be averaged. Thiswill represent the noise level. The power level at the expectedfrequencies can then also be measured. The expected frequencies mustthen exceed the noise by some threshold in order to be considereddetected. The threshold for detecting the presence frequency may be thesame or different from the threshold required for the positioningfrequencies. Alternatively, the powers seen at all frequencies may beaveraged over time to prevent false positives.

If the presence frequency is detected, but no positioning frequency isthereafter detected, then, after some predetermined period of time, thethreshold for the positioning frequency may be lowered. In addition, ifthere is some external signal that the mobile device is inside thevehicle, such as a specific Bluetooth signal, for example, but thepresence frequency is not detected, the threshold for the presencefrequency may be lowered as well.

In a feature of any of the above mobile device location (andcorresponding driver detection) embodiments, it is useful to be able todetermine when the driver may be attempting to circumvent the system byreaching out and holding the mobile device on the passenger side of thevehicle, by having a passenger hold the mobile device for the driver butin a manner in which it is viewable or useable by the driver, or byhaving the mobile device mounted or positioned outside the driver's seatarea but still oriented so that the driver can see and interact with themobile device.

Determining when a mobile device is being held, position, or oriented ina manner that can be viewed or used by the driver, even when not in thedriver's seat area of the vehicle can be accomplished in severaldifferent ways. For example, it is possible to compare the heading ofthe vehicle with the orientation of the mobile device. In oneimplementation, this can be accomplished using only the sensors on themobile device as follows: using the GPS on the mobile device, theheading of the mobile device can be detected. As this matches theheading of the vehicle, this provides a number range between 0-360degrees—indicating the orientation of the vehicle relative to magneticnorth. Using the magnetic sensor on the mobile device, the orientationof the mobile device relative to magnetic north can also bedetermined—also as a number range between 0-360 degrees. This is thecompass orientation of the vector perpendicular to the back side of thephone (the side opposite the display). These two numbers can then becompared. For example, if the heading of the car is 0 degrees (straightnorth) while the orientation of the phone is 90 degrees (back side ofthe phone is pointing due east), then the system determines that themobile device may be in a circumventing use orientation. Clearly, apassenger would not typically hold her mobile device in this position.

As a second example, if the heading of the car is 0 degrees (straightnorth) while the orientation of the mobile device is 10 degrees (backside of the device is pointing just slightly east of north), then thesystem determines that the mobile device is in an “allowed” useorientation, as this would be considered within a valid range oforientation for passenger use. The exact threshold of degree ofdifference is configurable, so as to accommodate varying vehicle cabingeometries, individual user movement patterns, and parent/administratorstrictness.

In some instances, it may be desirable for the passenger to hold hermobile device in a position in which the screen is facing the driver.One example would be when the passenger holds her mobile device againsther ear, in which case the screen could still be “facing” the driver,but would not in fact be viewable by the driver. This scenario can befiltered out as an exception—using additional data available from themobile device, such as screen proximity sensor, screen on state, or thecurrent call status.

The gyroscope and magnetometer of the mobile device can also provideuseful information to help identify the orientation of the mobile devicein the vehicle since many applications can be viewed in either aportrait screen orientation or in a landscape screen orientation.

As stated previously in conjunction with FIG. 1, the mobile device 150preferably makes use of two embedded or downloaded applications orsoftware components, each designed to handle and make use of the data orcommunications made by the control device 75. The first application orsoftware component is preferably designed to process the audio signalsthat are transmitted to the mobile device for enabling the mobile deviceto determine whether it is located in the driver quadrant or, in afeature, located in the passenger quadrant but being positioned or heldin such a manner that it is likely to be useable or viewable by thedriver, which is important to prevent a driver from trying to circumventa distracted driving application.

The flow chart of FIG. 5 illustrates the process 500 by which the mobiledevice 150 determines whether it is located within the driver quadrantof a vehicle 110 when used in conjunction with a control device 75configured, according to the preferred embodiment, to transmit a firstaudio signal toward the driver and a second audio signal directed towardthe passenger. Preferably, the first audio signal includes threeseparate audio frequencies (e.g., 19100 hz, 19250 hz, and 19500 hz)played for a specific period of time, such as 50 ms. After 50 ms ofplaying, all sound playing stops for another predetermined period oftime, such 200 ms. After 200 ms of silence, the second audio signalincludes three different audio frequencies (e.g., 19200 hz, 19300 hz,and 19450 hz) played for another specific period of time, such as 50 ms.After 50 ms of playing, the system again pauses another predeterminedperiod of time, such 200 ms, with silence before starting over bytransmitting the first audio signal again.

The audio processing application of the mobile device first samples theaudio signals transmitted to the mobile device (Step 505). Filtering,such as high pass and other filtering, is used to reduce or minimizenoise from the audio sample (Step 510). A baseline of intentional andambient noise captured during the sampled audio is calculated (Step515). The process 500 then determines whether there are any audio signalspikes that exceed the calculated baseline and that conform to thepredetermined or pre-set audio signals—based on frequency and based onexpected duration of such signals and delays between such signals (Step520). If no audio signal spikes are detected, the process assumes thatthe mobile device is not in a vehicle, not in a vehicle that is moving,or not in a vehicle that has a suitable control device installed oractivated (Step 525). In such a scenario, the mobile device cannotdetermine its location in the vehicle based on any signals from acontrol device; therefore, the process for seeking audio signals from acontrol device either ends or starts over again (Step 590).

If one or more audio signal spikes are detected at Step 520, the process500 then labels each such detected audio signal spike as either a“driver” or “passenger” audio signal using Goetzel analysis (Step 530).Three separate analyses are then performed by the process 500 on eachlabeled audio signal spike. In one analysis, the spike times fordriver-to-passenger and passenger-to-driver are compared (Step 540). Ina second analysis, the highest frequency power audio signal isidentified (Step 550). In a third analysis, a Goetzel analysis sweep isperformed across all of the detected spikes and a maximum area under thecurve is calculated (Step 560).

The process 500 then compares the results from the three separateanalyses and initially determines whether the mobile device is locatedin the driver quadrant or not—based on the results of at least two ofthe three analyses performed on the audio sample (Step 570). The audioprocessing application of the mobile device then finally determineswhether the mobile device is located in the driver quadrant or not—basedon the results of at least three of the determinations made at Step 570(Step 580).

All of the above methods using the control device (and any of theexemplary methods described below that do not use the control device)for determining if a mobile device is in the driver quadrant or one ofthe other quadrants within the vehicle are useful for a variety ofreasons based on the end use application. For example, in someinstances, a decision of whether to block or not to block functionalityof the mobile device may be made based on the location of the mobiledevice. In other scenarios, deciding whether to audit the mobiledevice's activities may be made based on the quadrant. For example, in aUBI scoring application, the mobile device may not go into blockingmode, but by knowing this mobile device is the one that is in the driverquadrant and using the mobile device as a proxy to identify theindividual driving, more accurate scoring models can be constructed. Inother uses, the mobile device in the driver quadrant may be usedautomatically to “sign in” for hours-of-use type applications, commonlyfound in FMCSA vehicles. Yet another use of quadrant identificationcould be for accident reconstruction. An accident could be reconstructedin which the location of various mobile devices within the vehicle couldbe used and potentially cross-referenced with carrier data correspondingto each mobile device before, during, and after the accident.

It should also be noted that the quadrant in which a mobile device islocated may change over time. For instance, when a vehicle first startsmoving, the mobile device in the driver quadrant may be identified andgo into blocking/auditing/scoring modes. The system could becontinuously monitoring its location to help determine when its quadrantlocation within the vehicle may have changed. Upon quadrant change,different actions may occur. For example, call blocking may change to anew mobile device that moves into the driver quadrant, while the mobiledevice that has moved out of the driver quadrant may be freed up to makecalls. Similarly, blocking/auditing/scoring applications can switch fromone mobile device to another depending upon which one is within thedriver quadrant at any given time.

It may also be useful to know if more than one person is in the vehicle.For instance, if only one person is in the vehicle, it may be desirablefor that user's mobile device or devices to be blocked/audited/scoredregardless of the quadrant in which such device(s) are located.Therefore, various methods outlined above may be useful in determiningif more than one mobile device is in the vehicle and where each mobiledevice is located within the vehicle. Each mobile device may communicatewith a centralized server to help facilitate this discovery, or mobiledevices locally may be configured to communicate with each other usingBluetooth or other short-range communication mechanisms. In someimplementations the mobile devices may broadcast their own audible tonesto help with this determination. For example, while in the vehicle, orin motion only, the mobile device may pick an unused frequency andbroadcast its own audio signal. This could be accomplished in many ways,such as having a pool of available frequencies from which to choose. Theother mobile devices in the vehicle can detect and sample this pool offrequencies to determine if another mobile device has “checked in”within the vehicle. In yet another implementation, vehicle specificsensors may be utilized. Such vehicle specific sensors include, but arenot limited to, seat belt detectors that detect which seat belts areengaged, weight sensors on the seats that help identify if the seat isoccupied, and the like.

Transmission of Vehicular Status Data from Control Device

As stated previously, in addition to transmitting signals used todetermine the location of the mobile device within the vehicle, thecontrol device 75 is also configured to transmit or broadcast vehicularstatus data. Preferably, the vehicular status data includes informationthat can be determined or detected by the control device itself, such asmotion of the vehicle, speed of the vehicle, location of the vehicle,cabin temperature within the vehicle, sound or ambient noise within thecabin of the vehicle at any point in time. Preferably, such vehicularstatus data can be transmitted or broadcast by the control device 75using classic Bluetooth (BT) communication protocols, using BluetoothLow Energy (BTLE) communication protocols, or both. Preferably, suchvehicular status data is transmitted in real time, on a periodic basis;however, in some embodiments or circumstances, especially if vehicularstatus data has accumulated and been stored in memory on the controldevice 75 without previously being transmitted to a receiving mobiledevice or vehicle application, such vehicular status data may betransmitted in bulk or in non-real time scenarios to a mobiledevice—once one such receptive device comes within communication rangeof the control device 75.

The flow chart of FIG. 6 illustrates the process 600 by which thecontrol device 75 communicates vehicular status data to one or moremobile devices within a vehicle. As stated previously, the controldevice 75 preferably remains in a powered-down state to preserve itsbattery. Thus, the control device 75 monitors its built-in accelerometerin order to detect when the vehicle in which it is installed or mountedbegins to move (Step 605). Upon detection of movement, the controldevice 75 powers on. The process 600 continues to monitor the output ofits accelerometer to determine any changes in movement of the vehicle(Step 610). Any change in movement of the vehicle, including its rate ofacceleration or deceleration, is recorded and stored in memory on thecontrol device. Preferably, such information is embedded in a suitabledata field that will be transmitted by the control device using one ofmany potential communication protocols (Step 620). As stated previously,such vehicular status data can be transmitted or broadcast by thecontrol device 75 using classic Bluetooth (BT) communication protocols,using Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) communication protocols, or both.Specific details about transmission of such data using classic BT andBTLE are described in greater detail hereinafter.

If the accelerometer of the control device detects (Step 625) that thevehicle has not moved for a predetermined period of time, such as ten(10) seconds, then the control device returns to a sleep or powered-downstate (Step 630). The control device remains in its sleep ofpowered-down state until movement is again detected (Step 635).

Preferably, the control device 75 periodically updates the vehicularstatus data embedded in the suitable data fields that will betransmitted by the control device (Step 650). In a preferred embodiment,such information is updated every five (5) seconds (Step 655).

As will be appreciated, for control devices that include a GPS module,the vehicular status data includes not only the accelerometer data, butalso geographic location data, vehicle speed, and correspondingtime-based correlation data associated with such information.

Finally, it will be appreciated by one of skill in the art that thecontrol device described herein can be configured just to perform one orthe other of its primary functions. For example, one embodiment of thecontrol device can be configured just to transmit audio signals for usein detecting the location of mobile devices within a vehicle. Suchcontrol devices can be constructed without inclusion of anaccelerometer, GPS, data transmission module, and other sensorsdescribed above. Conversely, another embodiment of the control devicecan be configured just to detect and transmit vehicular status data. Insuch embodiments, such control devices can be configured without anaudio microprocessor and speakers.

Transmissions Using Classic Bluetooth Protocols and Friendly NameBroadcasts

As will be appreciated from an understanding of U.S. Pat. No. 8,527,013,classic Bluetooth (BT) communication protocols can be used by thecontrol device 75 of the present invention to transmit relevantvehicular status data to one or more mobile devices located within avehicle and/or to one or more computer systems and applicationsassociated with the vehicle.

As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, with conventionalBluetooth communication protocols, once a single mobile device 150 has“paired” and connected with the Bluetooth module of the control device,other mobile devices are not able to connect with the Bluetooth moduleof the control device until the original mobile device disconnects andthe pairing is dropped. Thus, with conventional Bluetooth connectivity,only one mobile device can be used in a vehicle at a time. That may befine for some or many applications and uses, but not for all.

Therefore, preferably, the Bluetooth connective modules on the controldevice and installed within the system application or software componentinstalled or used by each compliant mobile device in the vehicle andcompliant computer system associated with the vehicle is configured toallow for “one to many” connections with the Bluetooth module of thecontrol device.

In one embodiment, multiple mobile devices and vehicle computer systemscan connect simultaneously to the Bluetooth module of the control devicethrough the use of piconets. The Bluetooth module of the control deviceacts as the “server” and is designated as the “master” device and eachassociated mobile device or vehicle computer system is designated as a“slave.” However, to initiate the connection, the mobile device orvehicle computer system initiates the connection initially as the“master” device. Conventional Bluetooth protocols support a procedurecalled the master-slave switch, which allows the mobile device orvehicle computer system to become the slave after initiating thisinitial connection. However, not all mobile devices or vehicle computersystems, at least currently, are configured to enable master-slaveswitching.

For this reason, in another preferred embodiment, the present systemdoes not use the “normal” or “orthodox” connection or paired orientedprotocol for Bluetooth connections. Instead of initiating a connectionin the normal Bluetooth sense using the mobile device, the Bluetoothmodule of the control device communicates its “state” or vehicularstatus data in a broadcast manner to any listening mobile devices orvehicle computer systems in Bluetooth range. It does this by changingits “friendly name” to represent the current state of the vehicle andany available vehicular status information. This technique enables thesystem to support a much wider array of mobile devices and vehiclecomputer systems while also retaining the ability to communicatevehicular status data to multiple mobile devices or vehicle computersystems in the same vehicle using a single Bluetooth transmitterassociated with the Bluetooth module of the control device. For example,in one simple embodiment, when the control device detects vehiclemovement, an acceleration value can be obtained from the accelerometerbuilt into the control device. Likewise, if the control device has itsown GPS component, vehicle location and speed can also be obtained. Thisdata can then be embedded and incorporated into the “friendly name” ofthe Bluetooth module on the control device that is then broadcast to anylistening devices within range of the control device, which wouldtypically include any mobile devices within the cabin of the vehicleand, potentially, one or more vehicle computer systems. Each mobiledevice or vehicle computer system, having the system software installedthereon, would then be able to detect the “friendly name” broadcast andextract the relevant vehicular status data. This vehicular status data,along with the previously determined mobile device location data, canthen be used to advantage for a wide range of purposes—depending uponthe other software applications, components, or modules installed oneach mobile device or vehicle computer system. Each mobile device orvehicle computer system can then be configured to search for and detectthe Bluetooth “friendly name” at pre-set intervals to ensure thatupdated vehicular status data is obtained on a desired and periodicbasis.

In another preferred and more sophisticated embodiment, the Bluetoothfriendly name of the Bluetooth module of the control device can beupdated on a periodic basis (e.g., every 3 seconds) to provide multiplepieces of vehicular status data—when the amount of available dataexceeds the field parameters of the Bluetooth friendly name Since it maynot be possible to send all potentially relevant vehicle state or statusdata in a single friendly name data transmission, the informationtransmitted can be divided into frames. Obviously, the more charactersthat the transmitter is capable of using as its Bluetooth friendly name,the fewer frames and fewer cycles of name transmissions required to passon all relevant data to the listening devices.

The amount of data and information that can be sent as part of theBluetooth “friendly name” depends upon the software and hardware used.For example, some Bluetooth transmitters have a 16 character limitationin regards to how long the “friendly name” can be; others have 20, 28,or 30 character limits, but the exact length is not important and willvary based on the application and the Bluetooth hardware in use at thetime. Regardless of the exact size or character limitation of the“friendly name,” the system is able to accommodate any amount ofinformation transmitted by using frames and pre-set protocols thatidentify what information is being transmitted and by identifying orknowing the number of character fields that follow a specific frameidentifier and, potentially, how many friendly names are transmitted aspart of a single data broadcast. Such information can be pre-set oridentified within the friendly name itself through use of an “end”character that specifies the end or last piece of information in aseries of broadcasts and which would indicate that the next broadcastwould represent the start of a new broadcast of information.

Transmissions Using BTLE Protocols

Bluetooth low energy (BTLE) wireless technology is an ultra-low power(ULP) 2.4 GHz RF technology designed to bring wireless links to productsthat currently use: proprietary wireless that is unable to communicatewith other wireless protocols; wired connections; or have (at present)no wireless communication provision but would benefit from one.

Bluetooth low energy (BTLE) wireless technology is a ULP wirelesssolution featuring:

Ultra-low peak, average and idle mode power consumption;

Ultra-low cost plus small size for accessories and human interfacedevices (HID);

Minimal cost and size addition to handsets and PCs; and

Global, intuitive, and secure multi-vendor interoperability.

Bluetooth low energy (BTLE) wireless technology was designed from theoutset to be a ULP technology whereas classic Bluetooth technology is a“low power” wireless technology. This difference dictates that theoperational characteristics of Bluetooth low energy wireless technologyand classic Bluetooth wireless technology are opposites. ClassicBluetooth wireless technology is a “connection oriented” radio with afixed connection interval ideal for high activity links like mobilephones communicating with wireless headsets. Among several measures toreduce the power consumption, BTLE wireless technology employs avariable connection interval that can be set from a few milliseconds toseveral seconds depending on the application. In addition, because itfeatures a very rapid connection, Bluetooth low energy wirelesstechnology can normally be in a “not connected” state (saving power)where the two ends of a link are aware of each other, but only link upwhen necessary and then for as short a time as possible.

There are three characteristics of Bluetooth low energy technology thatunderlie its ULP performance: (i) maximized standby time, (ii) fastconnection, and (iii) low peak transmit/receive power. Bluetooth lowenergy technology uses just three “advertising” channels to search forother devices or promote its own presence to devices that might belooking to make a connection. In comparison, classic Bluetooth wirelesstechnology uses 32 channels. This means Bluetooth low energy wirelesstechnology has to switch “on” for just 0.6 to 1.2 ms to scan for otherdevices, while classic Bluetooth wireless technology requires 22.5 ms toscan its 32 channels. Consequently, Bluetooth low energy wirelesstechnology uses 10 to 20 times less power than classic Bluetoothwireless technology to locate other radios.

Once connected, Bluetooth low energy wireless technology switches to oneof its 37 data channels. During the short data transmission period theradio switches between channels in a pseudo-random pattern using theAdaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) technology pioneered by classicBluetooth wireless technology (although classic Bluetooth wirelesstechnology uses 79 Bluetooth low energy wireless technology features araw data bandwidth of 1 Mbps)—greater bandwidth allows more informationto be sent in less time. A competing technology that features abandwidth of 250 kbps, for example, has to be “on” for eight times aslong (using more battery energy) to send the same amount of information.Bluetooth low energy wireless technology can “complete” a connection(i.e., scan for other devices, link, send data, authenticate and“gracefully” terminate) in just 3 ms. With classic Bluetooth wirelesstechnology, a similar connection cycle is measured in hundreds ofmilliseconds; more time on air requires more energy from the battery.

Bluetooth low energy wireless technology also keeps a lid on peak powerin two other ways: by employing more “relaxed” RF parameters thanclassic Bluetooth wireless technology, and by sending very shortpackets.

When using BTLE to communicate vehicular status data to one or moremobile devices, there are several things to consider. By default, BTLEallows for the communication of data without requiring pairing. The BTLEspecification also allows for multiple devices to be simultaneouslyconnected and sharing data. However, in practice, it has been found thatmost BTLE modules on the market can only support one device connected ata time. This introduces issues if more than one person or mobile deviceis in the cabin of the vehicle. To overcome this limitation, severalworkaround methods have been developed.

In one method, a unique identifier is embedded in the BTLE advertisingdata, so the mobile device can immediately recognize the unit as the onewith which it will interact. In addition, vehicle status information canbe embedded into the service UUID being advertised. In this manner, itis possible to transmit basic information, such as moving, not moving,and vehicle off status information by utilizing 3 different serviceUUIDs. The service UUID that is present indicates which mode the mobiledevice should be in. Utilizing this method, it is possible to preventthe mobile device from initiating a “connection” to the BTLE device. Bynot connecting, it is possible to have multiple devices simultaneouslyretrieve vehicle status data.

In addition to utilizing the service UUID, it is possible to overwritethe advertising data with additional information, such as, for example,using an approach outlined previously consisting of various frames ofdata. This allows the system not only to communicate vehicle statuswithout connecting, but also to communicate additional vehicle metrics,such as braking, mileage, and speed.

In another implementation, it is possible to create a custom BTLEprofile. This profile has multiple characteristics consisting of ASCIIstrings. Once the mobile device connects, it will read allcharacteristics. Once all characteristics are read, or a timeout isexceeded, the mobile device automatically disconnects from the BTLEdevice. In an alternative implementation, these characteristics can usethe BTLE indication mechanism. Using the indication mechanism, theremote BTLE device can determine when the mobile device has read all ofthe characteristics. The BTLE unit will then disconnect the mobiledevice. Having the external hardware device automatically disconnect themobile device at a set interval or at the completion of readingcharacteristics is critical to ensure multiple devices can retrieve therequested data in a timely fashion. This allows one unit to servicemultiple mobile devices and prevents possible denial of service.

Data can be retrieved via BTLE in multiple manners. For example,multiple custom characteristics are pre-defined. More than one customcharacteristic is necessary since there is a length limit on a singlecharacteristic, and the sum width of available data fields will likelyexceed that value. These characteristics will be read-only by theclient, and are configured such that the client is notified when thecharacteristics change.

Another method for BTLE data transmission is to use two customcharacteristics. The first characteristic will hold a chunk of data—thenext chunk of the data in the stream of data to be transmitted. Thesecond characteristic will be readable and writable by the BTLE client,with notify enabled. It will be in one of two states. In state A, itwill indicate that there is a new chunk available to be read. After theclient has read the chunk, it will write state B. The BTLE server willthen see that the client has read the chunk, and will load the nextchunk, again setting the state back to state A.

Transmissions Using Other, Non-Bluetooth Communication Protocols

Instead of BT or BTLE communications, it is also possible, inalternative embodiments, for WiFi to be used as a means for transmittingor broadcasting vehicular status data from the control device. Suchinformation may be streamed over WiFi directly from the vehicle to areceiving device. In a mechanism similar to non-pairing Bluetoothimplementations describe previously, the SSID of the WiFi network may bealtered to communicate vehicle status. Furthermore, a web service couldbe running on the control device within the vehicle. Again, such deviceor hardware may be either aftermarket or OEM installed. This web servicewould respond to various queries indicating the state of the vehicle tosuch receiving device.

In an alternative embodiment, audio itself could also be used totransmit or broadcast vehicular status data. Using DSP techniques, datacan be transmitted from the vehicle to software on mobile devices withinthe vehicle or to software being run by or on the vehicle itself.Essentially, any of the techniques used in analog modems may be usedhere, since the basic constraints are the same: transmit data viaaudible sounds over a noisy channel. These techniques include frequencymodulation, amplitude modulation, or phase modulation. The number ofdifferent allowed frequencies/amplitude/phases will determinethroughput, with more allowing higher throughput, but less allowingbetter operation in high signal-to-noise environments. Combinations,where more than one of these factors is modulated, may also be useful.Also, error detection schemes, such as parity or CRC32, are useful forfinding and correcting errors.

Determining Location of Mobile Device In a Vehicle Without Use of aControl Device

Numerous procedures for determining the location of a mobile devicewithin a vehicle, whether in the driver quadrant or in a passengerquadrant, using the control device of the present invention, aredescribed in detail above. However, there are other procedures andtechniques described in greater detail below, using suitably configuredapplications or software components installed or embedded on the mobiledevice, that can be used by such mobile device to determine its locationwithin the vehicle.

In one embodiment, the location of the mobile device can be determinedbased on common engine noises and frequencies. For example, whendriving, the left side of the engine will generate different soundpatterns than the right side. Using this information, it is possible todetermine if the mobile device is on the left or right side of thevehicle. After determining the vehicle's year/make/model, the mobiledevice would download a configuration file for the year/make/model ofthe current vehicle. This configuration file contains parameters forthis vehicle, which can then be loaded into variables used by acombination of DSP and neural network algorithms. These algorithms arethen used to determine the position of the mobile device within thecabin of the vehicle. In an alternative implementation, the mobiledevice preferably already contains all known configurations and canprocess the sounds without downloading additional information. In yetanother implementation, the recorded sound capture will be sent to thecloud for further processing and to match the sound with the appropriatevehicle and to determine the quadrant in which the mobile device islocated.

In another embodiment, the location of the mobile device within avehicle or other closed environment can be determined by using varioussensors on the mobile device. One such sensor is the magnetometer foundon many mobile devices. When the mobile device is on the left side ofthe vehicle, the left door speaker will be closer than the right doorspeaker. Using this information one can determine if the mobile deviceis located in the driver quadrant. Accuracy of this will depend onorientation of the mobile device relative to the vehicle. However, thisis not an issue, since the mobile device will typically be held in acommon position when the driver actually tries to use it. Further,orientation of the mobile device relative to the ground can be helpfulas well. In some situations, the magnetometer reading may be bestutilized relative to the other mobile device located within the vehicleto account for other magnetic instruments distorting the signal. Thecomparison data can be sent to a cloud-based server, or transmittedlocally among the mobile devices located within the vehicle. In anotherimplementation, using a combination of sensors on the vehicle, such asmagnetometer, accelerometer, gyroscopes, and other common sensors, it ispossible to determine the approximate location of a mobile device withinthe vehicle. For example, when a vehicle makes a right turn, the vehicletilts on its suspension. The side closest to the right side will feel aforce pushing downward while the side closest to the left side will feela force rising upwards while the suspension tilts. Utilizing thisinformation, mobile devices within the vehicle can make assumptionsabout which quadrant it is likely located. This processing could happenindividually with each mobile device, or in a manner in which theinformation is shared amongst the mobile devices within the vehicleeither locally utilizing Bluetooth or other short range signals, or byuploading the data to a cloud-based server for further processing.

With regard to the orientation of the mobile device relative to thevehicle, another technique may also be used. The mobile device candetermine the heading, and thus orientation, of the vehicle via GPS.Additionally, the mobile device can determine its own orientation viamagnetometer and tilt sensors. Thus, the mobile device can determine itsorientation with respect to the vehicle. The vector seen by themagnetometer of the mobile device may change as the mobile devicerotates. However, it may also change as the position of the mobiledevice relative to a speaker changes. The mobile device candifferentiate between these two conditions by looking for correspondingchanges in the gyroscope to correlate with the observed rotation seen bythe magnetometer. If there is no correlation, then the mobile device maybe near a speaker. This information, combined with determination of itsorientation relative to the vehicle, allows the mobile device toidentify if it is near a speaker on the right side or the left side ofthe vehicle, allowing yet another method for driver identification.

In yet another embodiment, Bluetooth signal strength can be used. Themobile device with the highest Bluetooth signal strength relative to thecontrol device would likely represent the mobile device closest to thecontrol device. Again, this signal strength information, along with themodel information of the mobile device and its orientation to ground,can be sent to the cloud, where variances in model sensitivity of themobile device to Bluetooth at a given orientation can be taken intoaccount.

In another embodiment, a challenge and response system can be used. Ifthe control device is configured with a means of detecting cellularsignal usage in the driver's seat area only, the control device canissue a challenge to each mobile device in the vehicle. For mobiledevice A, the control device may request the mobile device to makemultiple quick data connections. If the control device detects that themobile device in the driver seat performs this action, the driver mobiledevice would be identified. The control device would then issue achallenge to the remaining mobile devices. After each challenge/responsesession, the control device will have determined which mobile device(s)are located in the driver quadrant and policy can then be appliedaccordingly to all the mobile devices in the vehicle. If the controldevice is capable of differentiating calls vs. SMS vs. datatransmissions, some combination of these may be used for moresophisticated challenge/response sessions.

Another embodiment, using cellular signal detection, can be implementedwithout requiring software to be installed on the mobile device. In thisimplementation, the control device monitors usage of the mobile deviceand compares generated signals to the known activity generated by mobiledevice(s) potentially used by the driver. For example, assume that thecontrol device detects two (2) incoming SMS messages and one (1)outgoing SMS message at times x, y, and z, respectively. By comparingusage details contained within the carrier's network at times x, y, andz, the mobile device positioned within the driver's quadrant could beidentified in real time. Once the proper mobile device has beenidentified as being in the driver quadrant, usage of the mobile devicecan be shut off within the carrier's network, or a signal can be sent tosoftware running on the mobile device instructing it to block furtheractivity.

The mobile device in the driver quadrant can also be narrowed downand/or identified without any activity manually being generated by themobile device. For instance, by detecting patterns in the cellularsignal generated by the mobile device in the driver quadrant, the modelof the mobile device can be determined—which can further aid inidentifying the mobile device. The method for detecting patterns withinthe cellular signal uses all methods known in the art, including neuralnetworks and other AI methods. In addition to detecting patterns,signals can be generated by the carrier network and then detectedlocally within the driver quadrant. An example would be for the cellularnetwork to send information to each mobile device within the vehicle andpotentially within the driver quadrant of the vehicle. The controldevice would then match the generated signal with the appropriate mobiledevice.

In another embodiment, consider the scenario in which there is amechanism to detect data bursts from the mobile device in the driverquadrant. This procedure is capable of building a data set of when themobile device in the driver quadrant and what data is used over time.Consider, also, that there is an application on each mobile device inthe cabin that monitors data usage on the mobile device over time ormonitoring is provided through the carrier network without requiring anapplication on the mobile device itself. Mobile devices periodicallyperform data transactions even when in standby, such as checking emailor Facebook status. Clearly, all of these data sets can be uploaded to aserver, where they can be processed and a correlation found between thedata set from the data detection mechanism for the driver quadrant andthe data set from one or more other mobile devices in the vehicle. Thesecorrelation results can then be sent back down to the mobile deviceswithin the vehicle, letting the mobile devices determine whether theyare in the driver quadrant or in one of the passenger quadrants. Insteadof uploading the data for processing via a server, the data may also beprocessed in-cabin using local communication techniques to transmit thedata to a processing unit. The data may be transmitted via audiblesound, ultrasonic sound, Bluetooth, BTLE, WiFi, NFC, infrared, visiblelight, or other mechanism The processing unit may be one of the mobiledevices itself or an application installed on one of the mobile devices,may be installed on or part of the control device, or may be a dedicatedprocessing unit or processor installed on or within the vehicle.

In another embodiment, it is possible to use more than one mobile deviceto record or detect information from various sensors: GPS,accelerometer, manometer, light detector, camera, etc. The informationcan then be collected and compared to one another—either locally orwithin the cloud—to help determine the relative location of the mobiledevices within the cabin of the vehicle. For example, imagine a scenarioin which two mobile devices are running system software and collectingGPS location. GPS is typically accurate within a few feet. If, over thecourse of a drive (or vehicle outing), one mobile device continuallyreports a GPS location slightly to the left of the other mobile device,it could be determined which mobile device is the driver quadrant andwhich is in the passenger quadrant—depending upon the country and typeof vehicle, and based on whether the driver of the vehicle is likelypositioned to the right or left of passengers in the vehicle. Similardata could show whether one mobile device is further to the front orrear of the vehicle. Such data can then be used to determine whichmobile device belongs to the driver. Similar scenarios could beconstructed using any number of sensor data collected. Comparing therelative tilt or angular acceleration recorded by the mobile deviceswhile turning represents another data point that may be used toadvantage.

In another embodiment, it is possible to use an application installed onthe mobile device, such as iBeacon, which is capable of transmitting aBTLE transmission, which can be detected and responded to by an OBDIIdevice or control device. The BTLE data exchange provides distance datathat can be used by the mobile device to determine how far away it isfrom the responding OBDII device or control device. Such distance datacan be used alone, or in conjunction with one or more of the devicelocation techniques described herein, to determine the likely locationof the mobile device—whether in the driver quadrant, front seatpassenger quadrant, or back seat passenger space.

All of the methods for determining or aiding in determining which mobiledevices are located within particular quadrants (whether using thecontrol device or not) could be used in various combinations with oneanother. While the methods are presented herein individually for ease ofexplanation, a real world solution can use one or more of thesetechniques for more accurately determining the location of mobiledevices within vehicles.

Applications Making Advantageous Use of Device Location and VehicularStatus Data

(1) Distracted Driving Applications for Conventional Mobile Devices

In a distracted driving prevention or risk reduction system, there is asignificant need and it would be very advantageous to be able determinethe location of a mobile device within the vehicle—whether in thepossession of the driver, a front seat passenger, or a passenger in thebackseat. Once the location (or relative location) of the mobile deviceis known within the vehicle, the distracted driving prevention or riskreduction system can be configured to behave differently with differentmobile devices—based on such location determinations.

For example, in some circumstances or applications, only the driver'smobile device needs to be blocked (i.e., monitored, controlled,etc.)—while the passenger devices (front seat and/or backseat) areallowed to remain unaffected. Alternatively, there may be circumstancesor applications in which it is desirable for the system to be configuredto block all mobile devices regardless of which mobile device is in thedriver seat, or to open up certain aspects of the mobile device fornon-drivers.

Preferably, such distracted driving prevention or risk reduction aredesigned to improve upon the safe operation of a vehicle by a driver whohas a mobile device, by limiting, controlling, managing, or preventinguse of some or all functionality of the mobile device while the vehicleis in operation by the driver and/or in motion above a threshold speed,whether in reverse or forward direction. Preferably, a default orconfigurable policy, rule base, or set of protocols are installed on,uploaded to, or otherwise accessible by the mobile device to define whatfunctionality of the mobile device is limited, controlled, managed, orprevented and under what circumstances.

Preferably, the distracted driving prevention or risk reductionapplications described herein use rules-based policies that are definedand targeted to individual users, devices, and vehicles, or they may betargeted to fleets of vehicles and selectively to groups or subgroups ofemployees or other categories of people using a centralized policydistribution and management system.

Preferably, there are one or more “default” or pre-defined policiesusable and pre-configured for individual or corporate users and fordifferent types of mobile devices—based on the capabilities andfunctionality of such mobile devices and based on the typical functionsof the mobile device that are prevented, based on when suchfunctionality needs to be prevented, and based on what functionalityshould not be prevented or is selectively permitted (such as the abilityto make an emergency phone call, access a GPS map application, and theability to text or call to or from specific numbers or people includedon a “white” list or permitted list).

In addition, some companies may want to allow some of their corporatesoftware applications to be accessible to their employee drivers evenwhile operating a vehicle, as part of their job. The system allows anadministrator to define customized policies for individuals or forlarger groups of people (e.g., all family members, all kids in thefamily, employees of a division, specific types of employees, or allemployees of the company, and the like). In a preferred embodiment,mobile devices and/or vehicles that are not integrated into the systemor that do not have suitable system software application(s) installed onthe mobile device will not be impacted or interfered with by the system.

Preferably, the vehicular status data provided by the control device andtransmitted to the mobile device is used by software applicationinstalled on the mobile device, along with the mobile device locationdetermination, to limit, control, manage, or prevent use of some or allfunctionality of the mobile device based on the applicable rules-basedpolicy in effect on the relevant mobile device.

Once it has been determined which mobile device(s) within a vehicleshould be disabled, the user must be prevented from accessing some orall functions of the mobile device, based on the policy associated withthe user, with the vehicle, or with the mobile device—as may becustomized based on environmental or other factors, such as location ofthe vehicle, time of day, weather conditions, etc.

Preventing a user from accessing specified functions of the mobiledevice may be accomplished in a number of ways. For example, one way toprevent access to all functions of a mobile device is to continuouslydisplay pop-up dialogs on the screen of the mobile device. These wouldappear at a rate such that no matter how fast the user dismisses thebox, he never has time to access any function of his mobile device.Another way is to continuously throw up a full screen dialog or screen,potentially containing graphics and text. All touchscreen presses willbe intercepted and thrown away by this dialog. Pressing the home buttonwill simply cause the dialog to disappear for a very short time, due thecontinuous nature of its appearance. Another way is to allow the user toattempt to access some functionality of their mobile device, but toimmediately close any application that is opened by the user. This maybe accompanied by displaying a dialog box or other notification warningthe user to be safe.

(2) Distracted Driving Applications for Apple iOS-Types of MobileDevices

Traditionally, distracted driving prevention and risk reduction systemshave relied on a software application installed on or accessible by themobile device located within the vehicle that receives a signal thatthen triggers a restriction of usage of the mobile device. This signalmay originate locally from a sensor on the cell phone, such as GPS oraccelerometer, or may originate from an external device either in thecloud or communicating over some wireless protocol (such as atransmission from the control device). Once the application receives ordetects the trigger signal, the application on the conventional mobiledevice itself implements the usage restriction of the mobiledevice—thus, interfering with all or selected other applications andfunctionality of the mobile device. A common mechanism to perform mobiledevice blocking is to simply put up a screen on the mobile device thatprevents the user from interacting with other applications. In addition,many applications will also watch for incoming/outgoing calls andforcibly end a phone call using APIs supplied by the operating system onthe mobile device.

This well-established mechanism has worked well for most types of mobiledevices. However, several manufacturers of mobile devices, such asApple, do not allow one installed application to “interfere with” otherapplications on the mobile device. This restriction or prohibition hasprevented distracted driving software applications from working on theseplatforms. Even if one could design a solution or means to enable oneapplication to restrict usage of other applications, such distracteddriving solutions must still be submitted through Apple's applicationreview and approval process, which results in such application not beingapproved for sale or support through the Apple App Store, since such anapplication violates Apple's standard “application terms of service.”

For these types of platforms, a different method for device restrictioncan be implemented. Instead of relying on the application installed onor accessed by the mobile device to perform the actual usagerestriction, it is possible to use an external hardware device (in thiscase, the control device) to provide a data transmission or othercommunication to the iOS device that causes the OS of the mobile deviceto implement the desired restriction without requiring the applicationinstalled on or accessible by the mobile device to impose therestriction itself on another application or function on the mobiledevice.

(a) Preventing Prohibited Activities on a Mobile Device Using OS LevelCommands Transmitted from an External Control Device Mimicking a HID

For example, many mobile devices have supported external keyboards for anumber of years. These external keyboards operate on standard protocols,such as HID (human interface device) or HID over GATT, for Bluetooth lowenergy applications.

Utilizing these established protocols, a system can be developed that iscapable of restricting usage on these mobile platforms. For example,when the mobile device user opens an application, such external hardwaredevice will receive a signal indicating improper usage and transmit a“key press,” which has the same effect as if the user had pressed a keyon an external keyboard. In most cases, a key press such as “home key”or “power key” is desirable. In the example in which a user opened orattempted to use an inappropriate or unauthorized application (e.g.based on the rules-based policy), it is possible to transmit a “homekey” press, which would have the effect of minimizing this inappropriateor unauthorized application. This produces the desired effect ofapplication restriction. This opens up a whole new class of mobiledevices, which can implement a distracted driving policy and not have toworry about the application not being approved.

This mechanism could also be utilized in standalone manner—without anyapplication needing to be installed on the mobile device. In thisimplementation, the external hardware device (e.g. control device) sendsappropriate key presses on set intervals making it very difficult for auser to continue normal operation of the mobile device. In a preferredembodiment, it is possible to use both a software application and anexternal hardware device. The software application would be similar incommunication and functionality as the other applications describedherein. However, the primary difference is that at least part of themobile device restriction would require the external hardware devicesending the equivalent of key presses over a protocol, such as HID. Thesoftware application on the mobile device would alert the externalhardware device of improper usage, which would then trigger the sendingof the key presses. In this example, this type of application couldlikely be approved since it would not directly violate themanufacturer's application terms of service. In particular, suchapplication does not restrict usage of other applications. Instead, itsimply informs an external hardware component of the current state ofthe mobile device. The external component then issues whatever commandsare appropriate, based on state of the mobile device, vehicle state, andpolicy.

(b) Preventing Prohibited Activities on a Mobile Device Using ANCSNotifications Transmitted Between an External Control Device and theMobile Device

It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that APPLE®-brandedmobile communication devices often trail ANDROID®-branded mobilecommunication devices due to Apple Inc.'s tighter control of permissionsassociated with applications (or apps) installed thereon. However, it ispossible to provide many mobile device control features and distracteddriving functionality, which are more easily implemented or onlyavailable on an ANDROID®-branded mobile communication device, on anAPPLE®-branded mobile communication device by making use of APPLE®Notification Center Service (ANCS) protocols currently used byAPPLE®-branded mobile communication device that use Apple's iOSoperating system (hereinafter an “iOS device”).

The novel solution disclosed herein takes advantage of the connectionestablished between an external BTLE device and an iOS device.Specifically, the external BTLE device is permitted, by Apple's iOSoperating system, to interact with the ANCS service on the iOS device(called a “Notification Provider” within the ANCS protocol). Theexternal BTLE device (called a “Notification Consumer” within the ANCSprotocol) may be integrated into a DriveID or OBD transmitter typedevice (as described in the patent and patent applications incorporatedherein by reference and identified above), enabling such existingDriveID or OBD transmitter type device to piggyback on the existing BTLEconnection. Alternatively, the DriveID or OBD transmitter type deviceitself may be configured to be the external BTLE device itself that isconfigured to interact with the ANCS service on the iOS device.

One feature enabled by the ANCS protocols is the ability to blockincoming calls directed to the iOS device. Currently, Apple, Inc. doesnot include or permit an iOS API to end incoming calls. For this reason,existing distracted driving solutions installed on iOS devices havestruggled with fully preventing inappropriate phone usage because of therestrictions imposed by Apple, Inc. However, by sending a “negative”action in response to the incoming call notification using the ANCSprotocols, the present invention is able to terminate/end calls beforethe user has had a chance to answer the call.

Another feature enabled by the ANCS protocols is the ability toauto-answer incoming calls. By sending a “positive” action in responseto the incoming call notification using the ANCS protocols, softwareinstalled on the iOS device is permitted to answer the incoming call.This functionality is useful in some contexts, especially when combinedwith the ability to filter which incoming calls are ended orauto-answered. Using information obtained from the ANCS protocols, incombination with available iOS APIs for accessing contact information,the present system is able to determine the phone number of the caller.With this information, it is then possible, based on predefined list ofknown numbers, to define lists of phone numbers whose incoming callswill be either ended, auto-answered, or neither.

Another feature is the ability to auto-respond to SMS messages that arereceived by the iOS device while the user of the iOS device is drivingor operating a vehicle. Using the ANCS protocols to determine the phonenumber of the SMS sender, the system can be configured to communicatewith an SMS sending service (from the iOS device, from the externaldevice, or relayed via a server) to send a response SMS to the sender.In one implementation, the system can be configured to use the iOSdevice phone number as the “sender phone number” when interacting withthe SMS sending service. However, in many countries, including theUnited States, SMS spoofing is not technically feasible. In those cases,the auto-response SMS preferably will originate from a third-partynumber.

Another feature is the ability to read incoming SMS messages aloud oraudibly to the user of the iOS device—which is especially useful whenthe user is driving or operating a vehicle. Using the ANCS ability toaccess the content of the incoming text, along with existing iOS APIsfor performing text-to-speech functions, the present system is able toaudibilize the content of an incoming text message to the iOS deviceuser. This feature can further be enhanced by providing mechanisms orpolicies that permit the iOS device to read SMS messages aloud if butonly if the SMS originates from certain predetermined “white listed”phone numbers.

All SMS message functionality can be filtered based on white lists orblack lists, in a method analogous to incoming calls, using the ANCSability to determine the sender of the SMS message.

Another feature is the ability to remove notifications from the lockscreen and notification shade of the main display screen of the iOSdevice. Normally, on iOS devices, when a notification for SMS message,email, or other activity is generated, it is visible on the lock screen,as well as in the shade accessible from the lock screen. Part or all ofthe content of the message may be visible. This capability, while usefulto the user, presents an undesirable distraction when the user isdriving or operating a vehicle. Sending a negative action to suchnotifications via ANCS allows the present system to remove thesenotifications from the lock screen and lock screen notification shadeand, thus, reduce potential distractions to the user of the iOS device.

Another feature is the ability to audit distractions while driving usingANCS. Each time a notification comes in, the system is able, using ANCS,to record the time, app, and app category that generated thenotification. This data can then be aligned with driving time todetermine how many notifications, and from which apps (or types of app),are coming in while the user is driving or operating a vehicle. Suchdata can be extremely useful from an auditing, legal, or insurancepolicy perspective to assess the risks from distracted driving andidentify the source(s) of the distraction.

This detailed information can be captured by the system whether it ismerely operating in an “audit” mode or when it is operating in adistracted driving “protection” mode, for example. Further, thisinformation can be analyzed against driving behavior to determine howincoming notification messages from various applications affect theuser's driving ability. For example, it is possible to correlate brakingevents, acceleration events, and other negative driving behaviors to theexact notification or phone event that caused or occurred at the sametime as such behavior. This type of data can have huge ramifications asit relates to pricing insurance based on device usage while driving oroperating a vehicle.

In one implementation, the external device parses and interprets ANCSnotifications when interacting with the ANCS service. The externaldevice can then formulate ANCS responses—such as sending a negativeaction back to the ANCS service operating on the iOS device to end aphone call and/por dismiss notifications off of the user's screen. Insome instances, positive actions, such as answering a phone call, mayalso be warranted. The determination to send negative actions, positiveactions, or no response at all can vary based on the environment andsettings/policy determined by or on behalf of the user. For instance,while stopped at a red light, the iOS device may chose not to end phonecalls or dismiss messages whereas, while moving, it may be desirable forthe system to be configured to send negative actions so that the ANCSservice terminates the distracting activity or screen notification.

In another implementation, the external control device simply relaysANCS data, byte-for-byte, back to an application running on the iOSdevice. The iOS app (or a remote server) is then responsible for parsingand interpreting ANCS messages. This minimizes load on the externalcontrol device and allows for greater flexibility in determiningresponses and evaluating the environment. In this case, custom BLTEcharacteristics can be configured for transmitting the ANCS messages(notifications and actions/responses) back and forth between theexternal control device, one or more applications running on the iOSdevice, and the iOS device itself. Any combination of BTLE customcharacteristics can be used for relaying ANCS messages back and forth,sending vehicle state information, and retrieving data to and from theexternal control device and the iOS device and/or applications runningon the iOS device.

The following is just one example of how this service could beimplemented:

1. An external control device containing a BTLE compatible Bluetoothmodule is paired/authenticated with one or more iOS devices. In thisexample, the external control device may be a DrivelD type of hardwarecomponent, an OBD installed hardware device, a standalone device, adevice integrated directly into the vehicle or with the vehicle'son-board computer, a device located on another smart phone or otherdevice, or any device that is external to the target iOS device from andfor which it will receive information;

2. The iOS device receives an SMS message;

3. ANCS passes the SMS message information to the external BTLE deviceas an ANCS notification;

4. The external device processes the SMS message and determines, basedon the user's “distracted driving” policy settings, that the messageshould be “blocked” from being viewed by the user of the iOS device;

5. A negative action is then sent using ANCS from the external controldevice to the iOS device;

6. The iOS device processes the ANCS response (negative action) andremoves the notification from the user's notification bar and lockscreen—preventing the user from being distracted.

Further, the above example could be extended such that the ANCS messageis also transmitted to a remote server, remote application which may berunning on the target iOS device or other iOS devices, or to anotherexternal device such that the message could then be recorded forauditing purposes. Alternatively, such message could then be furtheranalyzed and compared with other data to make a more informed decisionon what, if any, ANCS response should be transmitted.

The following is another example of how this service could beimplemented:

1. A BTLE module is included or installed in an external control device,such as a DriveID component;

2. The iOS device receives an SMS message;

3. ANCS passes the SMS message to the DrivelD component as an NACSnotification;

4. The DriveID component passes the selected information obtained fromthe ANCS notification back to a distracted driving application, which isinstalled and running on the target iOS device. The DriveID componentmay also pass vehicle status or state data, such as speed, to the iOSdevice;

5. The application installed and running on the target iOS deviceprocesses the selected information and any other information provided tothe iOS device or otherwise independently determinable by the iOS device(such as vehicle speed, location, whether the iOS device is on the useror passenger side of the vehicle, etc.), compares the selectedinformation and other information to various distracted driving settingsor policies established for the user;

6. The application on the iOS device then formulates a desired responseto the ANCS notification and sends it back to the DrivelD component;

7. The DrivelD component then transmits the desired response in the formof an ANCS action back to the target iOS device, whereby that the ANCSservice can process the ANCS action and perform the action desired bythe application (but by-passing the iOS restrictions imposed on theapplication from interfering directly with the underlying activity orfunctionality of the iOS device).

It should be noted that while SMS is used in the above examples, theabove processes can also be performed for Skype (or similar VoIP)messages, emails, calls, third party app notifications, etc.

The ANCS service on iOS devices requires that the two devices (theexternal control device and the iOS device) to be paired. This cancreate a burden in families with multiple cars or in commercial vehiclefleets in which there may be hundreds or even thousands of differentvehicles. The present system allows the end user to pair the target iOSdevice to only one unit and, thereafter, share the “pairing” among oneor more external control devices.

This is accomplished by using a combination of an application running onthe target iOS device and the external BTLE device. When the initialpairing is completed, the pairing/bonding keys and all relevantinformation is transmitted from the external BTLE device to theapplication running on the iOS device. This information is then storedlocally and/or on a remote server.

From this point forward, the iOS application has all the informationrequired to force a different external BTLE device to “mimic” the BTLEdevice with which the iOS device was originally paired. In this way, theiOS device believes that the BTLE external device with which it iscurrently communicating is the “original” device with which itestablished a Bluetooth pairing—allowing the iOS device and ANCS serviceto function correctly without requiring a new Bluetooth pairing.

Here is an example of how this is implemented in a DriveID component, asdescribed in the above referenced patents and patent applicationincorporated by reference:

1. A BTLE module is installed in or otherwise built into the DrivelDcomponent;

2. A system application is installed and running on the target iOSdevice;

3. The target iOS device and the DriveID component begin a pairingsequence;

4. Once the pairing is complete, the DriveID component sends the pairingkeys, MAC address, and all relevant information to the iOS application,which is then stored (either on the iOS device or a remote server incommunication with or otherwise accessible by the iOS device);

5. The target iOS device can then be carried and used in a new vehicleand communicates with a new DrivelD component that is unique to orassociated with the new vehicle;

6. The iOS application sends the keys, MAC address, and other relevantinformation to the DrivelD component in the new vehicle;

7. The DrivelD component then changes its MAC address and keys to matchthe received information;

8. The iOS device and ANCS service then connects to the DrivelDcomponent in the new vehicle in an authentication fashion as the twodevices are now “paired.”

(3) Alternative Triggers for Initiating Distracted Driving and OtherApplications

It is sometimes useful to trigger a mobile device to go into “blocking”mode using a signal from the carrier network or from a cloud-based datanetwork that is sent down to the mobile device. In network-based callblocking, a vehicle is equipped with a unit that is able to bothdetermine vehicle status and communicate that information to acloud-based network or server. The mobile device associated with thatvehicle will then receive this information from the network and beginblocking/auditing/scoring. One problem with this particular technique isthat the user's mobile device will be blocked, even if the user and hismobile device are not in the vehicle but if that vehicle is being drivenby someone else. Most systems utilizing a signal from the cloud totrigger blocking work on a one-to-one basis. Meaning, one mobile deviceis tied to one vehicle. This is not an ideal situation. Below are somesolutions to this problem.

One solution is to use the control device described herein, inconjunction with one or more mobile devices within the vehicle, todetermine location of such mobile devices and then to determine thelikely driver of the vehicle based upon such location determinations.Armed with this information, it is then possible for the control deviceor a software application on the mobile device of the driver tocommunicate vehicle status information and driver information to thecarrier network, which can then intelligently send back a suitablesignal to cause the mobile device to go into blocking/auditing/scoringmode. Alternatively, the carrier itself could impose a block, at leaston cellular voice and data communications controlled by the carrier, toprevent such functionality until the control device or mobile devicesends a suitable signal indicating that the vehicle is no longer beingdriven by the user of the mobile device and/or that the mobile device isno longer located in the driver space of the vehicle. It will also beappreciated by those of skill in the art that, armed with theinformation concerning who is driving the vehicle, it is then possiblefor the control device or a software application on the mobile device ofthe driver to communicate vehicle status information and driverinformation to a remote application server, which can then intelligentlysend back driver-specific data and information that can be used bysoftware applications installed on the mobile device, for purposes otherthan distracted driving prevention.

Another solution is to use the GPS of the mobile device to determine ifthe mobile device is in motion. This would be performed only uponnotification from the cloud that the vehicle associated with that mobiledevice is in motion, so as to preserve battery life on the mobiledevice. Further, the GPS position of the mobile device can be comparedto that of the vehicle. This would allow the user to continue to haveuse of his mobile device when riding with someone else in anothervehicle—even if his vehicle is being used by another at the same time.

Yet another solution is to use the accelerometer of the mobile device todetermine if there has been a period of “walking” before getting asignal from the cloud that the vehicle is in motion. This would identifya scenario in which the user was likely walking to his vehicle. Further,it would allow someone in a stationary position to continue using hismobile device while someone else was driving his vehicle. Any “walking”detected long before, or after the signal from the cloud indicatingvehicle movement, could be ignored.

In another case, significant changes in temperature can be used toindicate that the user is moving toward her vehicle. For example, theuser may be getting into her vehicle and turning on the heat or airconditioner. Alternately, the user may be walking from inside to outsideto get in her vehicle. In either case, the rapid change in temperaturewill give some indication of a change in environment that, whencorrelated with the vehicle moving signal from the cloud, gives a higherlevel of certainty that the user is indeed driving her vehicle. Thistemperature can be correlated with the outside temperature of thatlocation at that time, determined using the GPS coordinates from thevehicle and a third-party weather API, giving even better results.

Additionally, changes in barometric pressure can be used in a similarmanner as temperature. Due to the nature of HVAC systems, barometricpressure is often different inside of buildings and vehicles than it isin the open environment. Some modern mobile device have barometricpressure sensors capable of detecting these differences. Again, thisreading could be correlated with third-party data for increasedaccuracy.

Software running on the mobile device can analyze sounds captured withinthe vehicle, such as distinct engine noises, that could be used todetermine the mobile device receiving the signal is actually in avehicle. The sounds could be compared independently of the systemcontrol device in the vehicle, or sound samples captured by both acontrol device in the vehicle as well as the mobile device itself couldbe compared. For example, algorithms can be used to determine that thesounds heard by a mobile device are consistent with sounds that would beheard while in a vehicle. More specifically, the captured sounds may beused to determine the type of vehicle in which the mobile device islocated to further verify that the mobile device is located in theintended or expected vehicle. Furthermore, if a sample was taken by boththe control device and by the mobile device, the sounds can be comparedto see if they were taken from the same vehicle. To aid in comparison,the control device or mobile device may broadcast a high frequency toneto signify an identifiable sound that can be detected by the otherdevice to confirm that both are within the same vehicle.

In another implementation, the mobile device or control device may beperiodically broadcasting a tone at a specified frequency to help withidentification—as outlined above for identifying in which quadrant themobile device is located. Using any of the above-mentioned methods, thecontrol device in the vehicle may play audio tones, which are thenpicked up by the mobile device. Once the sounds have been picked up bythe mobile device, a decision can be made as to whether the mobiledevice should be “blocked.” Furthermore, using the quadrant-identifyingtechniques described above, a mobile device triggered to go intoblocking mode from the network could be configured not to go intoblocking mode, notwithstanding the network signal, if the mobile devicedetermined that it was not within the driver quadrant of the vehicle.

If the mobile device is connected to a Bluetooth device, such as avehicle navigation system or a hands-free phone application, suchinformation could be valuable in determining if the mobile device iscurrently located within the “correct” or expected vehicle when thenetwork “blocking” signal is generated.

As WiFi and connected-vehicle initiatives become increasingly morepopular, using WiFi to identify that a particular mobile device is in aparticular vehicle is becoming more viable. For example, merelydetermining with which WiFi network a mobile device is connected may besufficient to confirm that such mobile device is in a particularvehicle. Another implementation may be to send data over the WiFinetwork in a challenge/response configuration. Another use of WiFi couldbe in an aftermarket hardware device added to a vehicle or integrated aspart of the vehicle by the OEM that is running a web service which canbe queried locally by a mobile device connected to the WiFi to determinestate of the vehicle or to determine within which vehicle a mobiledevice is located.

Another detection mechanism is to use cellular signal characteristics,as detected by a hardware device located within the vehicle. Activityoccurring on the mobile device, such as received or sent SMS messages,phone calls, or data transfers, can be used to narrow down which mobiledevice may be located in that particular vehicle. Absent any noticeableactivity by the mobile device, the cellular signal detection hardwaremay be able to distinguish certain identifiable traits of the mobiledevice. Such as connected cell tower, relative cellular signal strength,cellular technology in use for example GSM vs. CDMA, 2G vs. 3G vs. LTE.Even characteristics produced by sensors running on the mobile device,such as Bluetooth, can be utilized.

It should be noted that all of the above methods could utilize andprocess the collected data within the mobile device, within the systemcontrol device, remotely from the vehicle, using a cloud-based server orprocessor, or any suitable combination of the above.

In another implementation, simply having the presence of various audiofrequencies could be enough to trigger the application on the mobiledevice. One example could be to go into blocking/auditing/scoring modewhenever a consistent 19200 Hz and 19300 Hz signal is detected, asoutlined in the various audio signal transmission methods discussedpreviously. If both signals are identified and consistently beingplayed, the mobile device may use this as a signal to engage. To helpprevent false positives related to the presence of the two signals, athird frequency may be used as a control or “presence” frequency. In oneimplementation, the left speaker might play a 19200 Hz tone and a 19300Hz tone, whereas the right speaker would play a 19400 Hz tone and a19300 Hz tone. In this example, the 19300 hz signal is the controlsignal. Further determination related to quadrant may be used asoutlined above. It should be further stressed that all frequenciespresented herein are intended only as examples. Any number offrequencies could be utilized in the presented solutions.

Another embodiment not requiring any hardware to be installed within thevehicle relies upon audio captured by the mobile device. Once the audiohas been analyzed and determined to be in a vehicle, the accelerometeror GPS of the mobile device could be used to trigger motion and instructthe software on the mobile device to go into blocking mode. Throughfurther analysis, the specific vehicle or type of vehicle could bedetermined. This would allow for a GPS or accelerometer based system toremove false positives and ensure that the mobile device is blocked onlyin intended vehicles.

In one implementation it may be desirable periodically to recordbackground audio. Once the audio indicates that the mobile device ispotentially in a vehicle, based on engine noises, known frequenciesbeing played through the vehicle speakers, or other pre-determinedsounds that are used to detect that a mobile device is in a vehicle, thesystem can transition to using GPS or accelerometer for motion to launchthe blocking software on the mobile device. A GPS triggered oraccelerometer triggered solution implemented in this fashion would havesubstantially reduced battery drain.

In another implementation, GPS or accelerometer data may be used toindicate movement. Once movement has been indicated, the mobile devicecan record background audio to determine if it is in a vehicle and/orspecifically in which quadrant within the vehicle the mobile device islocated. Using this information, a determination forblocking/auditing/scoring can be made by the software on the mobiledevice.

Light (either visible or not visible to the human eye) could be pickedup by light sensors built into many mobile devices. Changes in lightcould be an indication of change in environment, which may precede amobile device entering a vehicle. Light could also be unique to avehicle and used as a way of distinguishing one vehicle from another.For example, lights emitted by various instruments and gadgets foundwithin a vehicle, or light from outside the vehicle filtered by windowtint may be used and calibrated to apply to a specific vehicle—withcalibration being adjusted based on time of day and current weatherconditions retrieved for the current location of the vehicle or themobile device. The intensity, hue, and saturation of light(s) detectedcould all be useful in making this determination. Light itself couldalso be a triggering mechanism, with different lights being emitted intothe cabin of a vehicle and detected by the mobile device. Data can becommunicated through this method as well, using frequency modulationtechniques. Using infrared may be especially advantageous in thiscontext, as it would be invisible to humans, while most digital camerasare capable of seeing near-infrared light.

By utilizing all of the above triggering mechanisms, theblocking/auditing/scoring applications described herein can havemultiple mobile devices associated with a single vehicle or withmultiple vehicles.

All of the above methods of determining which mobile device (or thelikelihood of a mobile device) being in a vehicle could also be used toconserve battery on the mobile device for variousblocking/auditing/scoring applications. Some of these sensors use lessenergy than BT, for example. Thus, first determining that a mobiledevice is in a vehicle, using one or more the above information, such asaudio, light, temperature, magnetometer, etc., may be useful before themobile device initiates any Bluetooth discovery protocols, which wouldhelp conserve battery life on the mobile device.

In all references above to blocking or triggering, the solution shouldbe understood to mean a blocking solution, auditing, scoring, UBI, orhours of service type application.

(4) Logging, Collection, and Auditing of Driver Activity and VehicleUsage Applications

Advantageously, the systems, methods, and devices described herein arealso capable of monitoring usage of a vehicle to detect, log, and reporton dangerous or abusive operator behavior, such as excessive speeding orexcessive idling of the vehicle.

For example, a mobile application could record the number of phone callsmade, the duration of phone calls, SMS sent and/or received,applications used, duration of application(s) used, screendimming/un-dimming, screen locked or unlocked status, and othervariables to reconstruct a picture of how the mobile device was utilizedwhile the user was driving.

In another example, the microphone of the control device can be used todetect breaking glass associated with the vehicle. Such detection incombination with vehicle movement, based on data from the accelerometeror the GPS module, could be used to indicate that the vehicle has beenin an accident. In contrast, detection of breaking glass in combinationwith non-movement of the vehicle, again based on data from theaccelerometer or the GPS module, could be used to indicate that thevehicle has been broken into. Applications running on a mobile device orrunning on the vehicle itself could then use this data to, in the firstcase, send an automated call to 911 and to a spouse or closest relativeindicating that an accident has occurred. In the second case,applications running on a mobile device or running on the vehicle itselfcould then use this data to call 911 and call or text the owner of thevehicle indicating that a break-in may have occurred. The GPS locationof the device could also be provided in such communication.

In another example, being able to detect noise in the cabin of thevehicle, such as a dog barking or a child crying, in combination withdata detecting that the vehicle is not in motion and has not been inmotion for a predetermined period of time, in combination with a highin-cabin temperature reading, could trigger an application to notifysend an emergency alert call or text to the owner of the vehicle (or toauthorities) depending upon the settings made in the application.

In a further example, the accelerometer of the control device can beused to detect rapid changes in orientation of the control device. Ifsuch rapid change in orientation is detected while the vehicle is inmotion, such information could indicate that the vehicle has beeninvolved in a potentially serious accident, indicating that the vehiclehas rolled or flipped. On the other hand, such rapid change inorientation of the control device while the vehicle is not in motioncould indicate that the user is attempting to remove the control devicefrom its mounted position. Additional vehicular data detectible by thecontrol device can further aid in validating if either of theseconditions is actually occurring.

(5) UBI Scoring and Insurance Applications

Another advantage of knowing which mobile device is in the driverquadrant of a vehicle is to identify the owner of the mobile device asthe likely driver of the vehicle, which can then be used for UBIscoring, rewards programs, electronic driver logging, and the like.

For purposes of UBI scoring, there can be individual scores for variousfactors associated with the driver. These factors can then be combinedinto a single cumulative score. Further, impaired driving canpotentially be detected by swerving, hard braking, and hardacceleration. Each of these can be detected via accelerometer associatedwith the vehicle, with the control device installed in a vehicle, orwith the mobile device, or any combination of the above.

For example, a mobile application could record the number of phone callsmade, the duration of phone calls, SMS sent and/or received,applications used, duration of application(s) used, screendimming/un-dimming, screen locked or unlocked status, and othervariables to reconstruct a picture of how the mobile device was utilizedwhile the user was driving. This usage information can then beformulated into a score to aid in UBI scoring, reward programs, orbehavioral modification programs.

Utilizing a device capable of detecting signals emitting from the driverquadrant of a vehicle, UBI, rewards, or behavioral scoring could also beperformed without needing an application to run on the mobile device.Such as outlined above, the signal detection system could record varioususes of the mobile device while located within the driver quadrant.

Driving conditions can also play a role in such scoring. For example, ifsomeone is driving into the sun, while it is at a low angle, this in adangerous condition. This can be detected by heading information,latitude and longitude data (all gathered via GPS) combined withephemeris data for the sun, at that time, and in that location. Athreshold for both heading versus sun azimuth, as well as minimum andmaximum sun altitude, could be used for this score, as well as length oftime and speed while in this condition.

Driver fatigue can also be a contributing factor to accidents. This canbe measured by tracking how many hours the driver has driven that day,as well as how many hours in a row the driver has driven. Additionally,late night interstate driving is more dangerous than late night citydriving. Interstate driving can be detected by a continuous high speedor by collection of GPS data.

Additionally, the control device can be used to help detect, identify,and manage insurance fraud and collision management bymonitoring/collecting data, such as accelerometer activity,g-force/impact, combined with GPS location and other data elementsincluding driver/passenger identification. For instance, if an impactevent happens, while a teenage-driver was driving the vehicle near theparent-vehicle-owner's home, the collected data would prevent theparent-vehicle-owner from moving the vehicle and staging a fraudulentaccident at a later time, at a different location, and with a differentdriver.

(6) Smart Pairing Applications

Another use for driver identification (or identifying within whichquadrant of the vehicle a mobile device is located) includes “smartpairing.” For example, it is becoming more and more common for vehiclesto adapt to the person who is driving. Many aspects of the drivingexperience (such as which mobile device is currently connected to handsfree, which address book is shared, which music is being streamed, seatadjustments, etc.) can be configured within the vehicle based on driver.Using technology to identify which mobile device is within the driverquadrant can be used to make these technologies more efficient. Forexample, an application running on a mobile device can be configured tonotify the head unit or head rest when the mobile device is in thedriver quadrant. This would allow the vehicle's adjustments to takeplace automatically.

A common use case would be determining which mobile device is currentlyconnected via Bluetooth to the head unit. If two family members enterinto a vehicle today, only one of those mobile devices will connect tothe head unit for music streaming, address book synching, and hands freecalling. Typically, the mobile device that has been designated as the“primary” device associated with the vehicle will prevail—even if suchdevice is not being carried by the driver. Using the control devicedisclosed herein and using one or more methods for determining whetherthe mobile device is located in the driver quadrant, the head unit coulddrop the connection to the “primary” mobile device when it has beendetermined that the primary mobile device is not located within thedriver quadrant. This would free up the connection for the mobile device(and the customized vehicle settings) of the user who is actuallysitting in the driver quadrant. Head unit technology can take advantageof this smart association without blindly relying upon which mobiledevice has been identified as the “primary” device associated with thevehicle and, instead, the system would dynamically designate whichevermobile device is in the driver quadrant as the currently active orprimary device and associate the vehicle settings to the user associatedwith the detected mobile device.

The various technologies and techniques for determining whether themobile device is located in the driver quadrant can also be used outsideof today's current head unit use cases. For example, SMS could bewithheld by the head unit automatically, calls could be routed to voicemail, auto responding messages could be sent. Any number of adjustmentscan be made to communications that are allowed—based on the mobiledevice located within the driver quadrant. Even behavioral modificationtechnologies could benefit, being able to direct instructions tailoredtowards the actual driver or passengers based on the various locationsof the mobile devices within the cabin of the vehicle.

(7) Industry Specific Applications

Another use for driver identification (or identifying within whichquadrant of the vehicle a mobile device is located) includes the abilityto communicate with third party route management software as to GPSlocation, start/stop time, etc. Such data can also be cross-referencedfor route optimization, re-routing due to traffic congestion data,validation and/or verification of home healthcare visits, compliancewith house arrest or parole obligations, delivery notifications andconfirmations, and the like.

In view of the foregoing detailed description of preferred embodimentsof the present invention, it readily will be understood by those personsskilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible to broadutility and application. While various aspects have been describedherein, additional aspects, features, and methodologies of the presentinvention will be readily discernable therefrom. Many embodiments andadaptations of the present invention other than those herein described,as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangementsand methodologies, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by thepresent invention and the foregoing description thereof, withoutdeparting from the substance or scope of the present invention.Furthermore, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps of variousprocesses described and claimed herein are those considered to be thebest mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. It shouldalso be understood that, although steps of various processes may beshown and described as being in a preferred sequence or temporal order,the steps of any such processes are not limited to being carried out inany particular sequence or order, absent a specific indication of suchto achieve a particular intended result. In most cases, the steps ofsuch processes may be carried out in various different sequences andorders, while still falling within the scope of the present inventions.In addition, some steps may be carried out simultaneously. Accordingly,while the present invention has been described herein in detail inrelation to preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that thisdisclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present inventionand is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enablingdisclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intendednor is to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise toexclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations,modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention beinglimited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.

We claim:
 1. A system for preventing access to a prohibited function ona mobile device, the mobile device having an operating system (OS)installed thereon, comprising: a control device, the control devicebeing a standalone hardware device that is external to and separate fromthe mobile device; a software application installed and running inmemory resident on the mobile device; wherein, after a connection isestablished between the mobile device and the control device, if aprohibited function is active or attempting to become active on themobile device, the software application causes the mobile device totransmit a notification signal to the control device; wherein, inresponse to receipt of the notification signal from the mobile device,the control device transmits an OS-level command back to the mobiledevice; and wherein, after receipt of the OS-level command from thecontrol device, the OS of the mobile device acts in response to theOS-level command, which prevents access to the prohibited functionwithout any direct interference or interruption of the prohibitedfunction by the software application installed on the mobile device. 2.The system of claim 1 wherein the control device is installed within avehicle.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the control device may beremovably installed on a windshield of a vehicle.
 4. The system of claim1 wherein the mobile device is disposed within a vehicle.
 5. The systemof claim 1 wherein the mobile device is located at a position relativeto the control device sufficient to establish the connection between themobile device and the control device.
 6. The system of claim 1 whereinthe OS-level command is transmitted using a human interface device (HID)protocol.
 7. The system of claim 6 wherein the OS-level command isinterpreted by the OS of the mobile device as being one or more keypress signals received from a remote keyboard.
 8. The system of claim 7wherein the one or more key press signals represent pressing of one ormore home keys, power keys, or a combination of home and power keys. 9.The system of claim 7 wherein, in response to receipt of the one or morekey press signals, the OS of the mobile device powers off the mobiledevice.
 10. The system of claim 7 wherein the prohibited function isactive or attempting to become active in a foreground window of thedisplay of the mobile device and wherein, in response to receipt of theone or more key press signals, the OS of the mobile device closes orminimizes the foreground window of the mobile device.
 11. The system ofclaim 7 wherein, in response to receipt of the one or more key presssignals, the OS of the mobile device causes the mobile device to go to alocked screen status.
 12. The system of claim 1 wherein the softwareapplication includes a distracted driving software module configured toprevent a user of the mobile device from accessing prohibited functionson the mobile device when the user of the mobile device is driving avehicle.
 13. The system of claim 1 wherein the connection is establishedbetween the mobile device and the control device when the mobile deviceis in a powered-on state and when the mobile device is in a vehicle inwhich the control device is installed.
 14. The system of claim 1 whereinthe notification signal transmitted by the mobile device identifies whattype of OS-level command the control device should transmit back to themobile device.
 15. The system of claim 1 wherein the softwareapplication determines whether a function on the mobile device that isactive or attempting to become active is prohibited.
 16. The system ofclaim 15 wherein the software application determines whether thefunction on the mobile device is prohibited based on a rules-basedpolicy associated with the mobile device.
 17. The system of claim 1wherein the notification signal is transmitted from the mobile device tothe control device using a wired connection, a WiFi wireless connection,or a Bluetooth wireless connection.
 18. The system of claim 1 wherein,in response to receipt of the notification signal from the mobiledevice, the control device periodically re-transmits the OS-levelcommand back to the mobile device for a predetermined period of time.